The Cabin
by Anoveldebut
Summary: Set at the end of Moebius Part 2. Jack, Sam, Teal'c, and Daniel all head up to Jack's cabin for a week. Teal'c and Daniel play matchmaker. Sam/Jack ship.
1. Chapter 1

Set at the end of Moebius Part 2, Season 8.

Disclaimer: All Stargate characters, etc, belong to MGM, not me.

A/N: Okay, so my standard take on the whole Sam-Jack relationship is that they'd only be together once their careers would allow it, which in the Stargate Canon, would be sometime after Stargate Universe. Thus my first two stories. That being said, a very dear friend of mine (and a fellow shipper), has pointed out numerous times now that even the creators of Stargate have admitted that, in their minds at least, Sam and Jack were together after Season 8 of SG-1, whether it ever made it to TV or not. So why don't I write about that, instead? This one is for her.

Feedback: Always welcome.

* * *

"Daniel, wait up!," Sam called, racing down the long grey hall of the SGC to catch up to her teammate, who was currently several yards ahead of her. Daniel turned to face her, obediently pausing in his trek toward the elevators to wait as she drew up beside him.

"Thanks," she panted lightly, her face slightly flushed as they fell into step together, resuming their progress towards the elevator leading out of CheyenneMountain.

"No problem," he replied, eyeing her speculatively as they walked. When she didn't speak again, he asked, "So, was there something on your mind, or did you just really want my company?"

"Hmm?," Sam replied, startled from her thoughts.

"You asked me to wait up...was there something on your mind, or did you just want some company?," he repeated, growing concerned. They had been through a lot this past year...

"Oh. Right," she said, looking embarrassed. Daniel swiped his card for the elevator, motioning for her to enter first as the doors slid open before them. They both climbed in, Sam hitting the button for the surface. "Um, well, I was just wondering...," she began awkwardly. "What exactly do you pack for a fishing trip?" Daniel snorted his amusement.

"Are you serious?," he asked. The growing embarrassment spreading across her face was answer enough. Daniel chuckled again. Go figure the woman who could pack everything she would need for a two- week mission off-world in ten minutes flat would have problems deciding what to bring for a week-long vacation in Minnesota.

"Well," he replied, somewhat mischievously, "I'd probably start with some clothes, if I were you... Maybe a fishing rod and some tackle, too, for good measure, and a laptop for when you inevitably get bored..." he added thoughtfully.

"Daniel Jackson, are you making fun of me?," she demanded, the sternness in her voice belayed by the humor in her eyes.

"Me?," he asked innocently. "Never. Seriously though, Sam, I've seen you pack for hundreds of missions without a moment's hesitation. What's different this time? Are you having second thoughts?"

"I'm not having second thoughts, Daniel," she replied. "And packing for missions is easy. All you have to do is follow protocol and regulations. This is very different."

"You could always pretend it's just another mission and pack what you would normally bring."

"Somehow I don't think the General would be quite as amused as you'd be if all I brought were emergency rations, a med kit, and a single change of clothes," she replied, rolling her eyes.

"I don't know Sam. I think he'd find it a little funny..." Sam slugged him in the arm, hard.

It was a fifteen minute trip up to the surface. They had just reached the parking lot when Daniel asked, "Just out of curiosity, why did you decide to come, this time?" Sam shot him a startled look.

"Why did you?," she countered. In eight years of asking, Jack had only ever successfully coerced one other member of their team into joining him for fishing, and the event had never been repeated since.

Daniel looked thoughtful for a moment, as if trying to decide what he should tell her. At last he replied, "Oma said this would be the last time she'd help me ascend." He smiled wanly and shrugged. "I just thought, maybe, I should enjoy what I have. While I still have it."

Sam wrapped an arm around him, leaning into him for something of a hug as they walked to their respective cars.

"Now, what about you?," he asked lightly, trying to brighten the mood. Sam groaned softly. She had really hoped no one would ask. At least not until after she'd had the chance to sort through her own thoughts on the matter.

Sighing, she said, "My dad didn't like Pete."

"O-kay...," said Daniel, hoping there was more. While the statement went a long way to explain some of what had happened in recent months, it really didn't seem to answer the question at hand. And it wasn't like Sam to leave a question hanging...

"Right before he died, he told me he just wanted me to be happy," she continued, after a bit of a lull. "And he sort of gave me his blessing..."

"To marry Pete?," Daniel asked, now genuinely confused. Sam shook her head.

"No," she said, apparently almost as confused as Daniel was himself. "To break the rules," she added.

Daniel stopped dead in his tracks, gaping at her. "He did what?," he asked incredulously.

"Exactly," Sam replied. "So when fishing came up again, I figured maybe I should just keep an open mind..."

"And that's why you can't decide what to pack?," he ribbed, amusement creeping back into his voice.

"It's not funny, Daniel!"

He considered her words for a moment. No, it probably wasn't quite as funny as it seemed. This was probably the sort of thing Janet and Cassie would have helped with in the past, only with Janet gone and Cassie away at school...

"Sam, do you want me to come over and help?," he offered rather abruptly, surprising himself almost as much as he surprised her. Sam eyed him suspiciously, registering the note of sincerity in the offer, despite the ribbing he had been doing only a moment before. Sighing, she replied, "I'm really not sure how helpful you'd be."

"Probably less helpful than Cassie, but more helpful than Teal'c..." he hedged. Sam giggled.

"Fine. We'll order a pizza and make a girls' night out of it," she replied teasingly.

"Sounds great! I'll bring the cookies and ice cream," he replied with feigned enthusiasm. Sam rolled her eyes, still chuckling.

"See you in a bit!," she called, climbing into her car.

_Oh boy. What have I gotten myself into now?,_ thought Daniel.

* * *

Half an hour later Sam opened her door to find Daniel on the front step, ice cream and cookies in hand. She blinked in surprise, a grin spreading slowly across her face as she let him in.

"I didn't think you were serious about the desserts," she said at last, trying to suppress a giggle.

"Oh. Um, well, I didn't really know what to do for a girls' night..." he trailed. "This is my first one, you know." Sam snorted.

"The other guys are never going to let you live this one down, Daniel," she replied, shaking her head fondly.

"Don't be silly. They're never going to find out," he retorted, grinning menacingly. "Besides, it's not like I'm letting you do my hair and nails. I'm just here to help you pack."

Sam's grin widened, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "The pizza should be here soon, lets get the rest of this into the kitchen and get started upstairs while we wait," she replied, trying to resist the urge to laugh at the absurdity of having a girl's night with one of the guys.

Once upstairs, Sam threw open her closet and said, "Okay. So, what do I need?" Daniel ogled the chaos warily, unsure where to begin.

"Um, Teal'c complained a lot about the mosquitoes," he said at last. "Maybe some jeans?"

"Decorated or plain?," she asked.

"Uh, plain?"

"Okay," said Sam, rooting around to throw a couple pair of jeans on the bed. "What next?"

Daniel's head was already hurting by the time the pizza arrived a few minutes later, but Sam seemed considerably more confident about the whole process by that point anyway. Grabbing a plateful of food and seating himself at the kitchen table, he was hopeful that his role as wardrobe consultant would be minimal for the rest of the evening. The moral support thing, he could do. The fashion guru thing? Not so much.

"Penny for your thoughts," said Sam, watching her friend chew thoughtfully across the table from her. He hadn't spoken a word since coming downstairs for pizza. She couldn't remember Daniel ever being so quiet before, or for so long.

"Hmm? Oh, I was just thinking about what you said earlier. About breaking the rules."

Sam grinned. "I promise I won't jump him while everyone is there," she said with a twinkle.

"Believe it or not, that's not what I was wondering...although I'd be more than a little concerned for your mental stability if you did. I mean, I know it's been eight years and all, but seriously, you two should take it slow. You've both been through a lot."

"I know, Daniel," she said, absently picking at her pizza.

"Have you tried talking to him at all, since calling off the wedding?," he asked, frowning.

"Actually, yes," she replied, growing sullen. "I went to his house right after telling Pete. I don't know exactly what I would have said, but it didn't really matter, anyway," she said with a shrug, her fingers mindlessly tearing her pizza crust to shreds. "When I got there, he already had company. Things got a little awkward after that."

"Jack had company?," Daniel asked. Sam nodded.

"Kerry Johnson," she replied.

"As in, _Agent_ Johnson?," Daniel asked, startled. Sam nodded again. "Good lord. Are they together?"

"It definitely looked that way," Sam replied desolately. "But then he asked us all to go fishing, and you don't normally do that sort of thing with your former team when you have a beautiful woman waiting for you at home, right?," she asked in a rush, a note of hope in her voice.

"I have no idea," said Daniel, still in shock. "It is Jack, after all. He's not exactly emotionally connected. And he _has_ been inviting us for years. Maybe he really wasn't expecting us to accept..."

"You think we're crashing his solo-time?," she asked, concerned.

"I don't know. I really wasn't expecting to hear about another woman in his life. I mean, he's not really the dating type. As far as I've known, you're the only woman he's seriously thought about in at least five years."

Sam choked on Daniel's last statement, coughing hard for a few moments to clear her throat again before speaking. Daniel eyed her in amusement. "You know, the more I think of it, the more I think it couldn't be anything serious," he continued musingly, Sam's face burning red with embarrassment. "With Agent Johnson, I mean," he added quickly. "I think we're going to have to rethink some of your wardrobe choices though, just to be sure..."

Sam gaped at him, suddenly horrified by the possible implications of his words. Grabbing the box of cookies he had brought earlier, he quickly dragged her to her feet, pulling her back upstairs to re-organize her packing. Sam's only rational thought as she watched him work was that Janet, wherever she was now, would have been very proud.

* * *

"Sam, what do you have to sleep in?," Daniel asked, half-buried in her closet. She pulled an old Air Force t-shirt and a pair of shorts from a drawer, handing them silently to her newly possessed friend. Daniel frowned at the items. "Anything else?," he asked doubtfully.

"Nothing I'd like to be parading around in while trapped in a cabin full of men," she replied. Daniel snorted.

"Come on," he said, grabbing her hand and pulling her from the room.

"Daniel, where are we going?," she asked.

"Shopping," he replied simply, quickly handing her a pair of shoes while he tied his own.

"For..."

"New pajamas."

Sam sighed. "What was wrong with the t-shirt and shorts?," she asked, trying to stay patient.

Daniel looked up, briefly meeting her gaze. "Do you really want to be reminding him that you're Air Force, too?," he asked, turning back to his shoes.

Sam laughed. "Daniel, I don't think that's something either one of us ever forgets."

"And you never will, if you insist on including it in your down-time as well. Now come on, the stores are all going to close soon!," he exclaimed, yanking the door open and bolting down the steps to his car.

"What happened to taking things slow?," she called mockingly, trying to catch up. "And when will he even have the chance to see me in my pajamas?"

Daniel paused at the car door, frowning. "I think I was wrong," he said slowly, in answer to her first question. "And hopefully every day," he replied more cheekily to the second, ducking into the driver's seat for safety.

Yep, Janet would _definitely_ have been proud.

* * *

Shopping with Daniel was, if possible, even more frantic than sale-hoping with both Janet and Cassie in the lead. They covered the entire selection of three stores in under fifteen minutes. Sam barely had the chance to register any of what she saw before he'd pull her away again, muttering about needing something just right. She couldn't for the life of her figure out why her sleepwear should matter so much. Sure, they'd all be sharing the cabin, but she really had no intention of wandering around half-dressed in front of her teammates. Friends or not, some things were not meant to be shared.

Ten minutes before closing, Daniel triumphantly held up a blue cotton camisole and shorts set, nodding happily over his own brilliance.

"Perfect," he muttered. Sam raised an eyebrow.

"It looks exactly the same as at least three other sets we've seen so far tonight"

"Don't be silly," he said, frowning at her. "This one has a built in bra." This time, both of Sam's eyebrows shot up. "Daniel," she warned.

"What? It's cute, and modest."

"You are seriously un-hinged, you know that?," she shot.

He smiled. "Blame it on two and a half hours in your closet," he replied. Sam rolled her eyes, taking the pajamas to the check-out as she did. If possible, Daniel's grin widened even further as he took in his victory over her apparent sleepwear issue. Sam sighed. He really was as incorrigible as any other girlfriend she had ever had. Too bad she couldn't escape the fact that she was secretly loving every minute of it long enough to scold him for worrying so much over such an insignificant detail.

* * *

Back in the car, Daniel surprised Sam yet again by asking, "Do you think I should make a quick stop home to get my things before going back to your place? I mean, we still have to make everything fit into a suitcase for you, and we haven't even touched the ice cream yet..." Sam laughed. "Daniel, are you inviting yourself over for a sleep-over?," she asked.

"Uh, I guess I am," he replied sheepishly. "Is that all right? I mean, I don't have to..."

"No, no, it's fine," she reassured him. "Only if we're going to do this, we should do it properly. After we stop at your place, we'll need to grab movies, snacks, and drinks."

* * *

The packing finished save for Sam's new pajamas, which were currently in the wash, the two friends flopped down on the couch, ready for their munchies and some light entertainment. Sam grabbed the remotes first, switching everything on and starting the movie. She was fairly certain Daniel was going to hate it, but "Pretty Woman" was one of her secret, tell-anyone-and-die, all-time favourite movies. And it just so happened to be the perfect girls' night movie as well, which was precisely what he seemed intent on giving her: the perfect girls' night, minus any other actual girls. Reaching for the ice cream and two spoons, she scooted closer to her friend, offering him one of the utensils before digging into the carton herself.

Daniel smiled as he watched her, glad to see her happy and relaxed for a change. He dug into the ice cream too, only groaning slightly when he realized which movie she intended to inflict on him that night. Oh well. It would only be a small hit to his ego to have to sit through it, and he was doing this for Sam, after all. If anyone deserved a relaxing night with friends, it was Sam.


	2. Chapter 2 - Saturday

A/N: I should probably warn everyone that there are some pretty serious spoilers for seasons one through eight scattered throughout the rest of the story...just so you know.

And thank you for all the lovely reviews so far! I hope you all enjoy the rest of the story as well! (And more feedback is always welcome, of course.)

* * *

"Rise and Shine, Camper!," came General Jack O'Neill's overly cheerful voice through the closed door, quickly followed by a loud rapping. Daniel groaned, but Sam was already up and moving groggily towards the source of all the noise.

"Morning Carter!," he called cheerfully, looking her over. "All set to go?" Sam gestured vaguely at the luggage laying by the front door, then stumbled off in search of coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.

Undeterred by her apparent lack of enthusiasm, or the fact that she had obviously just woken up, Jack quickly gathered all the bags, loading them into the SUV he had rented specifically for the occasion.

"Carter, what is all this stuff?," Jack asked, returning for a second load. "I've seen you pack less for a month off-world. Are you planning on moving in?"

"Jack, why are you yelling?," asked Daniel grumpily, studying his friend through bleary eyes.

"Daniel, why are you _here_?," Jack asked, startled into dropping one of the bags in response to the unexpected voice.

"Long story," Daniel answered resignedly. This was _so_ going to come back to bite him on the butt, he just knew it.

"Coffee's that way," pointed Jack, frowning slightly at Daniel's rumpled appearance. The man had definitely seen better days.

"It's not all mine," yawned Carter, gesturing to the few remaining bags in her hall in answer to her CO's earlier question.

"I see that. One less stop to make, I guess."

"Um-um," she mumbled into her cup. "Have to return the movies."

"What movies?," asked Jack, now genuinely confused. Not that confusion was something new for him in the presence of his two more scientifically inclined friends, but seriously, this was supposed to be a _vacation_. Surely the two of them could give him a _bit _of a break?

Sam disappeared into the living room, returning with a small stack of DVDs. Jack blinked. _Pretty Woman._ _Dirty Dancing._ _When Harry Met Sally. _"Not a word," she growled, handing them over. His jaw worked silently a moment, begging to ask if she had inflicted all of these on Daniel... Only the chill racing down his spine from the glare Sam leveled him kept him from saying anything out loud.

Just then, Daniel returned, groaning softly at the sight of the DVDs now nestled in Jack's hand. Jack smirked. Yep, she definitely made him watch them all! Okay, so he still had no idea _why_ Carter would do such a thing, especially since she supposedly_ liked _Daniel, but even still, blackmail material was blackmail material. And he had plenty of it, now. Grabbing the rest of the bags, Jack retreated out the door, whistling merrily as he went.

"You do realize I'm never going to live this down, right?," Daniel asked, staring accusingly at his friend. Sam shrugged unapologetically. "You were the one who wanted a girls' night," she replied sweetly, grinning into her coffee. Daniel glowered back at her, shooting daggers with his mind.

"Come on, kids!," Jack called from outside, honking the horn. "It's a long drive! Let's get moving!"

"Merciless," said Daniel, wincing at the noise. Sam giggled. Apparently her newest girlfriend didn't handle vodka coolers mixed with copious amounts of sugar all that well.

* * *

"I'm getting bored up here," Jack called from the driver's seat several hours later. "Somebody entertain me."

By this time, the sun was almost at a reasonable level in the sky to warrant their driver's enthusiasm for the day. Teal'c sat beside him up front, his eyebrow raised questioningly at Jack's latest request, while Sam sat behind Teal'c, Daniel slumped against his door beside her in the back, sound asleep.

"Do you want me to drive for a bit, Sir?," Sam asked.

"Ah! What did I say about rank, _Samantha_," he replied, emphasizing her given name to illustrate his point. "You're on vacation. Ease up on the formalities."

"Alright, _Jack_," she retorted, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. "Do you want me to drive for a bit?"

"No, no," he replied lightly, grinning at her use of his name. "We'll be at our first rest stop in another hour or so. We can trade off then. I just need some entertainment in the meantime..."

"Would Twenty Questions do?"

"Sure! Just don't pick anything too geeky. I do still need to focus on the road, after all."

Sam actually did roll her eyes this time. It was going to be a _very_ long day.

* * *

Daniel woke to the sounds of Jack and Sam arguing. Loudly. Head pounding, he cracked his eyes open to glance around, noting the rising frustration in the car as they sped along the interstate.

"Hathor, Carter? You chose _Hathor_?," came Jack's incredulous voice.

"I really don't see anything wrong with-"

"And before that it was 'The O'Neill,' and chevron..."

"What's your point?"

"I'm sensing a pattern, Carter! Stop thinking about work, that's an order!"

"O'Neill, as you have already stated, Colonel Carter is on vacation. Does this not mean she is no longer required to follow your orders?," Teal'c inquired calmly.

"And you did tell me not to use anything geeky," Sam reminded him. "There wasn't much left after that."

"Not much left?!," Jack shouted disbelievingly. "How about 'fork'? Or 'Jell-o', eh? Or 'cow'. 'Steak'. 'The Simpsons.' 'Beer'. Come on, Carter, there's a lot more to life than the SGC!"

"So, what's going on?," Daniel asked casually.

"O'Neill is dissatisfied with Colonel Carter's entertainment," Teal'c responded sedately.

"Don't be ridiculous, Teal'c! I _like_ Twenty Questions. I just don't like having work brought into it!," shot Jack.

"More like you just don't enjoy losing," Sam retorted.

"And why are we playing Twenty Questions?," Daniel asked, seriously questioning the sanity of the other people in the car.

"O'Neill was growing weary of the silence," Teal'c replied.

"Ever think of just putting some music on, Jack?," Daniel asked, a trace of sarcasm creeping into his voice.

Jack growled something unintelligible from up front, rummaging around for something to pop into the CD player. At last finding a disc in the chaos that was the front of the car, Jack slid it into the stereo system. Daniel groaned. Kiss. Him and his big mouth. Wishing for some Aspirin, Daniel slumped back in his seat, quickly falling asleep against the backdrop of noise chosen by one General Jack O'Neill.

* * *

Their first stop turned out to be a small RV campground overlooking a narrow stream. Despite their earlier argument, Sam couldn't help but grin over at her commanding officer. This place was perfect. Stumbling gratefully from the black SUV, she took a quick tour of the grounds, stretching all the kinks and stiffness from her legs and back. That was one problem with sitting behind Teal'c; even in something as large as an SUV, there wasn't much leg room left over in the back by the time he was comfortable in the front.

"Okay, kids," Jack called from beside the SUV. "Porta-potties are over there," he said, waving in their general direction, "and I'll have food and water waiting for you over here when you're ready. You have twenty minutes, then we're back on the road!"

"You've made an itinerary?," Daniel asked incredulously. Jack frowned. "It's a seventeen hour drive, Daniel, not counting stops. Of course I have an itinerary. How else are we going to get there before tomorrow?" Daniel groaned.

"I don't remember any of this from the brochure," he grumbled in response.

"Have some breakfast," Jack offered with a smirk, handing his friend a slightly squashed peanut butter and jelly sandwich from a cooler. Daniel looked at the disfigured concoction with something akin to disdain before finally sitting down at one of the picnic tables to grudgingly eat.

"Got one for me too?," Sam asked hopefully, grinning broadly at him.

"Yup!," replied Jack happily, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet. "At least _someone_ here appreciates my culinary talents," he added, shooting a dark look in Daniel's direction. Sam's grin widened. Jack narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her.

"Why _are_ you so happy, all of a sudden?," he asked warily.

"This is just like road-tripping with my dad!," she replied brightly, barely suppressing a laugh at his dark look of indignation. Watching her quickly flit off to find Daniel, Jack turned from his infuriating second-in-command to Teal'c. "Remind me again why I invited those two to come along?"

"Because they are your friends, O'Neill," he replied, the shadow of a smirk dancing in his eyes.

"Ri—ght," drawled O'Neill. "And why is that, again?"

* * *

They took turns driving for the rest of the day, stopping every few hours at other RV campsites to stretch and eat more of the sandwiches Jack had brought. Daniel was somewhat relieved to discover that aside from the peanut butter and jelly served for breakfast, most of the sandwiches did include more than bread and sugar.

He had no idea how women could binge eat junk food and drink that evil blue treacle they passed off as vodka coolers and still function the next day, but he most certainly could not. The coffee at Sam's place had done little to help his hangover, and the peanut butter and jelly sandwich later that morning had all but done him in. Every organ in his body screamed in protest at the invasion of more sugar. He was going to have to remember that girls' nights were definitely_ not_ intended for men. Ever. Under any circumstances.

The trip did, however, improve somewhat after their second stop, when Daniel bartered two left-over breakfast sandwiches for a new CD from an older couple heading in the opposite direction. Now instead of listening to the same twelve Kiss songs over and over again, they were listening to the Best of the 60's, which had them all smiling remembering their little trip back in time a few years earlier.

Sam and Teal'c traded off for the next few hours of driving, leaving Daniel to nurse his hangover before he'd have to take his turn. Sam kept assuring him that it would pass, he just needed more water and a bit more rest, which he dutifully worked on as they headed steadily north.

"What the hell did Sam do to you last night, anyway?," Jack asked at one point, eyeing him speculatively.

"I really don't want to talk about it," Daniel replied moodily, turning back into the car door for another nap.

* * *

As the new CD looped for the fourth time, Sam suddenly asked, "So, just out of curiosity, what was it that made '69 such a good year?" Jack glanced into the backseat, genuinely puzzled. Teal'c was concentrating on driving, the setting sun glaring annoyingly into his line of vision despite O'Neill's heavy sunglasses. He either didn't hear the question, or decided it wasn't meant for him, as he remained perfectly silent. Daniel was, surprise, surprise, sleeping once again.

"I beg your pardon?," Jack asked, stalling. What was she talking about?

"When we went back in time. You said '69 was a "Good year". Why?"

Crap. Remembering the conversation, he flushed slightly. It had been a typically cheeky remark on his part, only, apparently, nobody had caught on. He chewed the inside of his lip, trying to decide what to tell her. He couldn't very well say what had been on his mind at the time, which was the birthdate marked in her file... _Think Jack, think_, he urged himself. _You were seventeen. Something interesting must have happened that year, other than the birth of your second-in-command... _ Jack was drawing a blank. Sam watched in amusement, wishing she could know what was going on in the silent confines of his mind. His face was absolutely priceless, a flustered deer caught in the headlights...

Noticing her watching him, Jack flushed again, deciding to just stick with cheeky. Maybe she wouldn't believe that that's where his mind had really been that day, anyway...

"It's the year you were born, Carter. It must have been a good one," he replied, holding his breath as a look of embarrassed surprise crossed her face. "Oh," she said simply, turning away. Double crap. Jack turned back around in his seat, fiddling with a set of buttons on the stereo consul before Teal'c swatted his hand away. Ten hours down. Seven more to go. Not counting stops.

* * *

Sam was eating her third sandwich of the day, silently watching the sun dip down below the tree line. Teal'c and Daniel were wandering along the perimeter of the campsite, deep in conversation, while Jack sprawled stiffly on the grass below a massive oak. It had been two hours since her commanding officer had made his rather unexpected assessment of '69 in relation to her birthday, and she was no closer to understanding it than she had been at the time.

Sam had known, with absolute certainty, that feelings existed between them ever since the Za'tarc testing four years ago. She was more than a little surprised, however, to discover that those same feelings had developed sometime within their first two years working together. Physical attraction was one thing, and something she knew they had both experienced early on... But at what point had he decided she was more to him than that? The year before their little excursion back in time, when they had been trapped in Antarctica, he had still been in love with his ex-wife, Sarah. She never would have guessed that things could have changed so quickly after that.

"Penny for your thoughts?," asked Daniel, sitting down beside her, a sandwich of his own in hand.

"Sixty-nine was a good year because I was born," she ventured hesitantly.

"O-kay..."

"That's what he said. In the car. When I asked him what he had meant by 'Good year'".

Daniel gaped at her. "I'm assuming you're referring to _Jack_?"

"And our trip back to 1969," she said, nodding.

"Huh."

"Huh?"

"Well, yeah. He's not usually that obvious with his flirting."

"So he was flirting?"

"I'd have to go with yes."

Sam leaned back, resting against the picnic table. "He looked uncomfortable."

Daniel sighed. "Sam, you've both been repressing your feelings for each other for the better part of eight years. Opening up is bound to be uncomfortable."

Sam frowned. "Eight years?"

"Yeah, eight," said Daniel slowly, nodding.

"Not four?"

"Nope. Definitely eight."

"How is that even possible? We barely knew each other eight years ago!"

"You tried mating with him within the first couple of months," he reminded her matter-of-factly.

"I was under an alien influence," she retorted sharply. "Besides, Janet said it's common for lesser mammals to seek out the strongest specimen to mate with..."

"Teal'c would have been a more obvious choice for physical prowess," said Daniel. "And Hammond was base leader. But you chose Jack," he added with a smirk.

"He combined the best of both worlds, physical strength with leadership," she defended.

"And when I expressed concern for your well-being, he slugged me."

"He did what?"

"Knocked me flat on my butt. In the middle of the control room, I might add."

"Well, obviously he was suffering the effects of the virus as well..."

"Yes, obviously," Daniel said sourly, remembering the punch.

"You can't seriously be trying to tell me this traces back to the very beginning of SG-1!," she exclaimed. "When he was dying in Antarctica, he was asking for Sarah!"

Daniel thought about that for a moment. "Old habits die hard," he responded at last, with a tiny shrug. Sam gaped at him. It did sort of make sense. Thoughts of Sarah had gotten him through worse, in the past. Of course his subconscious mind would flip back to her as he lay there dying...

"When did you think things had started?," Daniel asked curiously.

"I don't know," replied Sam honestly. "I was attracted to him right from the start, but it never really went beyond that... And then after Jolinar, my feelings were pretty torn. She left a huge emotional imprint centering around Martuf. It took me a really long time to sort through it all." Daniel nodded understandingly. "I guess losing him for three months on Edora was the first time I really had to admit anything to myself...," she whispered, referring of course to Jack. "And I did my best to forget about it after that, because of Laira..."

"You thought he'd go back?," Daniel asked in surprise. Sam nodded, not entirely trusting her voice.

"God, Sam, I had no idea...I've known how you two felt since the Quantum Mirror. When I went through, not when the other Sam came here," he clarified. "It just seemed so obvious after that. Like I could tell how much you were holding back just to stay together in the fight against the Goaul'd."

Sam shook her head. "You've known longer than I have? How is that even possible?," she demanded, exasperated.

"I'm just that good, I guess," he replied smugly.

"Oh, God! It's no wonder my dad's dying wish was for me to break the rules! Do you think he knew all along too?"

"I'd say it's a pretty safe bet."

"Ugh, this is so embarrassing!," she complained, burying her face in her hands.

"You think that's embarrassing?," teased Daniel. "At least you're not the one still hung over from drinking one and a half vodka coolers last night."

Sam raised her head to study him incredulously. "Daniel," she said at last, deciding he was serious. "You're not hung over. You're going through a sugar crash."

"I'm what?," he asked, surprised.

Sam shook her head in disbelief. "You ate three-quarters of a tub of ice cream and half a box of cookies last night. Plus all the sugar in the coolers. Trust me, it's a sugar crash. Most people pace themselves a little..."

"I thought the point of a girls' night was to indulge?"

Sam laughed. "Yeah, as in guilt-free munching, not guilt-free binge-eating!" Daniel groaned.

"You could have told me sooner," he accused.

"I thought you knew your mortal limits," she retorted, still laughing. Then she laughed even harder, realizing that Daniel, of all people, could hardly be accused of knowing mortal limits... Daniel, for his part, chose to ignore the comment, going in search of more water.

* * *

It was sometime just after midnight when they finally arrived, the sound of gravel crunching beneath tires instantly putting Jack at ease. It was good to be home. Parking the SUV out front, he was the first one out, taking deep lungfuls of fresh Minnesota air as his friends began to sort themselves out.

Teal'c emerged next, and Jack moved round to the back of the vehicle to help unload. Daniel joined them at the door to the cabin a few moments later, his arms full of bags as Jack wrestled a set of keys from his pants pocket, precariously balancing his end of an exceptionally heavy cooler on one raised knee. Unlocking the door, they all trooped inside, quickly finding places to drop things before heading back out for the rest of the stuff. Looking around, Jack frowned.

"Where's Sam?," he asked, puzzled. Daniel smirked.

"She's still asleep in the car," he responded, clearly amused.

Jack blinked. "Asleep?," he replied, surprised. "Before 4am, and without strict orders to go home and get some rest?"

"Yep," replied Daniel smugly.

"Who would've thunk?," Jack said, leading the way back outside.

Twenty minutes later the car was unloaded, the coolers had been emptied into the fridge, everyone had chosen a place to sleep for the night, and the three men were left arguing over who would have the honours of waking their sleeping friend.

In the end, after repeated failed attempts by all three to wake her, they decided to just leave sleeping soldiers lie, bringing her a blanket and cracking the windows for fresh air. Then they all trooped back inside, making sure to leave the door unlocked for Sam when she finally woke up.


	3. Chapter 3 - Sunday

A/N: Okay, be forewarned: I've attempted humour in this story, and in this chapter in particular. Many apologies for any undue amounts of tomfoolery, but I was having a lot of fun... Your input in the success/failure of this attempt would be greatly appreciated, so please, please review!

I should probably also warn that there is some mild language in this story, thus the K+ rating.

* * *

Sam ached all over. Her neck was kinked, her back was kinked, her legs were cramped, and she was dully aware of the fact that she was draped in a peculiar position across an exceptionally hard sofa, without a pillow. Cracking her eyes open, she groaned. Whatever had possessed her three closest friends to let her sleep in the car all night long was anybody's guess, but she was pretty sure she was going to hurt them when she found them.

Stumbling from the vehicle she was forced to brace herself against the door, cursing silently as both legs turned instantly to pins and needles. Waiting for the feeling to return, she glanced at her watch, absently noting that there was still an hour or so before dawn. She sighed. She didn't think she'd be falling back asleep anytime soon, not with all the kinks and cramps she would need to work out first. Looked like she was up for the day. Stretching against the side of the car, several joints popped loudly, alleviating some of the stiff discomfort in her limbs. Dragging herself off towards the cabin, she was grateful the men had at least thought to leave the door unlocked for her.

Sam found her bags waiting for her by the door, about six feet away from her sleeping CO. He was sprawled across a long couch, one arm dangling off the edge as he snored quietly. Sam carefully tiptoed over to her bags, silently opening one to pull out a t-shirt, sports bra, and jogging shorts. Then she stealthily felt her away around the darkened cabin, searching for the bathroom she knew must exist. Splashing water on her face and dressing in her fresh clothes, Sam began to feel marginally better. And definitely awake, now.

Wondering if she could safely go for a jog in the dark, she quietly found the kitchen, grabbing a quick glass of water before heading back to the front door. Jack was sitting up, watching her.

"Go back to sleep," she whispered. "I'm just going out for a run."

"What time is it?," he asked blearily.

"About 4:30am," she replied. "Go back to sleep."

Jack sighed. "Sam, you don't know the area. Give me five minutes, I'll join you."

"Sir, you don't have to..."

" 'Course I do," he replied. "Can't have you getting yourself eaten by a bear your first day here... And drop the 'Sir', Carter, remember?"

It was Sam's turn to sigh. "Then drop the 'Carter', _Jack_." Jack grinned in response, standing to stretch and heading into the bathroom to change. True to his word, he was ready and at her side within five minutes, looking for all the world as if he had managed more than a few hours' sleep before she had inadvertently woken him up.

They stuck to the main road for their jog, although Jack assured her that there was a much nicer trail through the bush, if she decided to go for a run _after_ the sun was up at some point during the week.

"You know, if somebody had woken me up instead of leaving me in a car all night, I probably could have slept past dawn," she retorted.

Jack looked at her incredulously. "Sam, we tried," he replied helplessly. "Nothing worked. And we figured someone would just get hurt trying to move you inside..."

Sam glared at him. Jack sighed. "You know what I mean!," he said, exasperated. "Bad knees, awkward angles, and all that." Sam had to laugh at the way Jack gestured around helplessly while making excuses. Then she had a thought.

"Should you even be running, with your bad knees?," she asked, only half-teasing. She really didn't want to ruin his vacation with sore knees...

Jack raised an eyebrow, his jaw setting stubbornly as he glanced back over at her. Finally, he said, "Sam, the day I can no longer keep up with you kids, you have my permission to take me out back and shoot me."

"That's a little extreme, don't you think?," she answered, surprised by the candor in his voice.

"Not really," he said with a shrug. "After all, you're all bound to start slowing with age too, sooner or later," he added innocently.

Sam shot him an indignant look, picking up the pace in challenge. Chuckling, Jack sped up as well, matching her increase for increase as they pounded along the twisting dirt road, sweat soon drenching them both.

* * *

By the time they had reached the end of the road and run all the way back to Jack's cabin, Sam figured they had covered a good five miles of terrain. The sun was just starting to peak over the trees bordering the large pond, illuminating the early morning mist still clinging to the surface of the water. They stood in the driveway, panting, taking in their surroundings as the cool morning air sent shivers down their sweat-soaked limbs. Neither one spoke for several minutes as their heart rates came back down to a more moderate level, and the chill of dawn began to cool them.

Jack was the first to break the silence. "Well, _Samantha_," he said, smirking ever so slightly at the use of her given name, "What do you say to a swim?"

Sam eyed him doubtfully. "I don't know,_ Jack_," she replied at last. "It'd be pretty cold this time of year. Do you think your heart can handle it?" Jack glared in return. That was twice now she'd implied he was too old to keep up...

Left with no other alternative, Jack did what any other self-respecting soldier would do under the same circumstances: he picked up his second-in-command and, ignoring all protestations, carried her over to the end of the dock and dropped her in.

Sam hit the water with a magnificent splash, spluttering obscenities that would curdle the blood of lesser men. Jack simply laughed, pulling his T-shirt off and cannon-balling himself in after her. The cold water felt amazing against his overheated skin, and he let himself sink a good ways down before resurfacing beside his still furious friend.

"What the hell did you do that for?," she demanded angrily. Jack grinned.

"Let the record reflect, I'm no where near as old as I may sometimes look," he replied at last. Sam rolled her eyes, pushing his head back down beneath the surface. Jack braced himself for the attack, happily sinking into the chilly depths of his pond once more. _At least she seems to be relaxing_, he chuckled to himself. _I doubt she would have been comfortable trying to drown me two days ago... _

"Oh come on," he teased, popping back to the surface. "You can't seriously tell me this doesn't feel good after that run."

Sam glared at him, but he could tell her heart wasn't really in it anymore. "I was going to say yes, you know," she admonished. He chuckled again. "I know," he replied, shrugging. "But this was more fun."

Sam pushed him under again, but this time he dove away from her, swimming around to reappear on her other side. "Can't catch me!," he called, quickly swimming away from her.

"Wanna bet?," Sam growled, pulling her own sodden t-shirt off over her head and tossing it to the dock along with both water-logged shoes before taking off after him. Jack laughed, diving beneath the surface to change direction, reappearing quite a ways from where she was heading. Sam caught on to the game quickly, however, and soon it was full-out war between the two to see who could out-swim and outmaneuver whom first.

* * *

Hearing the loud splash, Daniel raced from his room in an absolute panic, terrified that Sam had woken up in the dark and somehow ended up in the lake instead of at the cabin. Racing to the door, he caught up with Teal'c, who stood watching the water with an expression which could only be described as barely-concealed amusement. Noting with some relief that it was at least light out, Daniel followed his gaze, staring in disbelief at the two grown adults splashing around in the water like a pair of children on the first day of summer vacation.

Shivering in the cold morning air, Daniel wondered briefly how they could possibly stand to be in the even colder water this early in the day. Then he decided it really didn't matter. He needed coffee, now.

* * *

Sam knew her CO. She knew how he thought and his full range of moods. She knew when to go along with his plan, and when to come up with a plan of her own. She knew his dry sarcasm and his playful banter. She even knew his weakness for all things sweet. But nothing she had witnessed in the past eight years could have prepared her for the devious, mischievous, wickedly carefree Jack O'Neill she saw now. He was completely, one-hundred percent in his element. She couldn't remember ever having seen him so relaxed before. He was happy. Really, and truly happy. And his mood seemed to be contagious.

The more he teased and goaded, the more she followed along. It was exactly the kind of fun she remembered as a kid, trying to keep up with her older brother as he did his best to outdo her in everything. It hadn't taken Mark long to realize his ultra-competitive little sister was not one to be outdone. She smiled to think how long it would take Jack to realize the same thing. He was swimming towards her now, closing the distance between them at a remarkable pace. As he drew closer, Sam bobbed down below the surface, opening her eyes to find her target. Following him closely, she watched as he slowed, obviously looking around, waiting for her to reappear. She'd have to act fast, before he could puzzle out where she could be. And before she could run out of air...

The moment he went perpendicular to tread water, Sam shot forward, yanking the thin material clinging to his legs clear off his body, then dodging away as quickly as she could, resurfacing a good ten feet away before launching into a full-speed breaststroke back to the relative safety of shore. She could hear him hot in pursuit, and dove again, gaining speed as she did.

At last finding the supports to the dock, she hauled herself up out of the water, her prize still in hand, and bolted for the cabin, grabbing both t-shirts on the way.

"Samantha Carter, you get back here this instant!," cried Jack, not daring to follow. Sam laughed delightedly, glancing back to enjoy his plight.

"You know what they say about payback, _Jack_," she called out, laughing even harder at his look of horrified indignation as he realized she really was going to leave him stranded alone in the water without a shred of clothing on his body. It was a sweet little trick she had learned one summer when Mark had decided to prank her every chance he got. Oddly enough, he had decided it was wisest to leave her alone after she had left him stranded at the beach with all his friends and nothing to wear...

"Teal'c! Daniel!," Jack called, desperate for back-up. The other two men came running, Daniel raising a questioning eyebrow when he saw Sam proudly holding what appeared to be all of Jack's clothing.

"Do you require assistance, O'Neill?," Teal'c asked, glancing askance towards Sam, who just smiled sweetly in return.

"A towel, Teal'c. I could really use a towel, over here."

"Should you not have considered that likelihood before entering the water, O'Neill?," Teal'c replied. Sam doubled over laughing at that, Daniel chuckling beside her while Jack glared over at the lot of them.

"Never mind. Like it or not, I'm coming out."

Sam stopped laughing long enough to realize he was serious, catching a generous glimpse of her CO's lean frame as he pulled himself up onto the dock and sauntered over to his friends before she quickly readjusted her gaze to remain glued to his face. Despite herself, Sam was still shaking with silent mirth as he approached, snatching a shirt from her hands to wrap around his waist before stalking back into the cabin to dress.

"That's my shirt, you know!," Sam called after him, still chuckling. She had to give him credit for this: he was a hell of a lot braver than Mark had been.

* * *

Jack had had many opportunities over the years to feel proud of his brainy second-in-command. She had saved their butts on more occasions than he could count, and he had always respected her for that. But the moment his shorts had been ripped from his body by the stealthy blonde lurking just below the water's surface, he had experienced a whole new level of pride in Samantha Carter. She had beat him at his own game.

Quickly toweling himself dry in the relative safety of his bathroom, Jack couldn't help but marvel at the seemingly overnight transformation of the by-the-books officer he had known these past eight years into the deliciously cunning woman he had met in that pond. This Sam Carter never seemed to hesitate in saying precisely what was on her mind. This Sam Carter teased, baited, and goaded him, then gloated triumphantly over her own victory. And if Jack had cared very deeply for the more reserved Samantha Carter he had known all these years, he was in very grave danger now of overstepping some major boundaries in pursuit of the more brazen vixen he'd just met. After all, how could he possibly resist the allure of a woman who combined brains, beauty and military might with a wickedly competitive spirit and a sense of humour obviously rivaling his own?

Fully aware that he was entering a dangerous new playing field with a subordinate officer, no less, Jack O'Neill spent the rest of the morning quietly plotting his revenge. Much as he may have enjoyed seeing this new, playful side of Carter, there was no way _that_ little maneuver of hers was going unanswered!

* * *

"So I see you decided to take the direct approach," Daniel commented casually, watching Sam wring water out of Jack's sopping clothes before draping them over the porch railing. Sam glanced up, confused, before his meaning struck home and she blushed.

"It wasn't like that at all, Daniel," she said quietly. The euphoria of her victory was quickly wearing off, and embarrassment was taking its place. Daniel chuckled.

"Still, that was quite the way to grab his attention!"

Teal'c frowned at the two of them. "To what are you referring, Daniel Jackson?," he inquired solemnly. Sam blushed a deeper shade of red, glaring at Daniel.

"It's nothing, Teal'c," Daniel backpedaled. "Just a little joke."

"I see," intoned Teal'c, obviously not quite buying the cover-up. "So Colonel Carter and General O'Neill have not recently initiated a Tau'ri mating ritual?".

Sam choked, coughing furiously to recover herself. Daniel did his best to stifle a grin, failing as he watched Teal'c's gaze dart from one to the other of his friends.

"No," answered Daniel at last. "No, I don't think they've actually initiated the ritual yet. But it's Jack's move next, so anything could happen." Daniel danced quickly out of reach as Sam shifted to slug him in the arm. She could have sworn his eyes had twinkled as he'd made that last pronouncement, and Teal'c was clearly accepting his words at face-value. Less than twelve hours at the cabin, and already both of her teammates were figuring the week would inevitably end with her and Jack together.

_Me and my big mouth_, she thought to herself. _I never should have told Daniel about that conversation with Dad._

* * *

Jack watched with some amusement as his fair-skinned second-in-command carefully laid a beach towel beside his chair on the dock, setting a bottle of water and a book down on one corner before laying down herself.

"Is that really wise?," Jack asked, subtly eyeing the shocking amount a bare skin showing around the pale blue tank top and denim shorts Sam currently wore. Sam frowned up at him.

"Is what really wise?," she asked in reply. Jack gestured towards her on the towel. The sun was high in sky by then, and certainly direct enough to pose some serious risk to that ivory skin of hers.

She laughed at him, catching on. "Don't worry, _Jack_, I put my sunscreen on," she replied, flashing that gorgeous smile of hers before settling down to open her book. Jack watched in silence a moment, his fishing line hanging all but forgotten in the water, before finally asking, "So, whatcha reading?". Sam grimaced.

"Well, _Jack_, since you banned me from reading anything academic while on vacation, I was forced to resort to _this_." And she held up a romance novel to illustrate her point. Jack nearly fell off his seat laughing. Never in a million years would he have imagine her stooping to the level of mere mortals at his request. And her look of absolute, utter repulsion over the prospect of having to actually read something mainstream was priceless!

"Carry on, then, _Samantha_," he replied, still chuckling. She rolled her eyes at him, returning her attention to the novel. Watching her like this, it was almost impossible to tell she was one of the smartest people on the planet. She just seemed so _normal_. Now if only he could get her to stop saying his name with the same inflection she usually reserved for calling him "Sir," this could be the perfect week at the cabin.

* * *

"Daniel Jackson, it is your move," Teal'c intoned, startling Daniel from the cozy little scene he had been watching unfold on the dock.

"Hmm? Oh, sorry Teal'c." Moving his chess piece across the board, his eyes drifted once more to the dock, where Jack and Sam were both comfortably situated with their individual pursuits. Teal'c followed his gaze.

"It does not appear as if O'Neill has 'made his move' yet , as you have put it," noted Teal'c, turning back to the chess board. Daniel looked at him in surprise.

"Actually, I think Sam is trying to placate him right now, after this morning's incident," he replied with an amused grin. "Knowing Jack, his next move will be to get even with her. If she wants more than a full-out prank war on her hands this week, she'll need to change his mind before he has the chance."

"And how is she to accomplish this while laying beside his chair?," Teal'c asked curiously.

Daniel smiled. "It's simple, really," he replied with a smirk. "Right now, she's doing exactly what he told her to do when we all agreed to this trip." Teal'c raised an eyebrow in silent question, and Daniel continued. "She's relaxing, Teal'c. And if I'm not mistaken, seeing her relax should go a long way toward softening Jack's mood." He shook his head ruefully. "I think we're in for quite the show this week." Teal'c straightened in his seat, his face completely impassive. Daniel sighed. Some things were a lot harder to explain to their alien teammate than others.

* * *

Sam had never in her life read a romance novel. She had never really seen the point. They all sounded so corny and make-believe, she just couldn't bring herself to actually pay good money just to see what they were like. It had been Janet's idea to introduce her to the genre, insisting they were the perfect 'getting you mind off work' books for someone like her. Even still, she had blatantly ignored Janet's advice, until the doctor had grown tired of repeating herself and had simply started leaving the books where Sam could find them. Every few weeks for the better part of four years, a new novel would appear in Sam's lab, or her locker, or the mailbox at home. She had garnered quite an extensive collection by the time Janet had died, but even still, it had never occurred to her to actually sit down and read some of them. Never, that is, until one General Jack O'Neill had forbidden her from bringing anything even remotely intellectual out to his cabin in the woods. Which is how she came to find herself laying on a beach towel in the sun beside her commanding officer's seat on the dock, finally honouring her dead friend's wishes and reading a romance novel. Not only that, but she found she was actually _enjoying_ the thing.

About half-way through the book, Jack stood and stretched beside her. She ignored him, completely absorbed in the heightened emotional drama unfolding on the page before her. Her insides were all clenched and fluttery with anxiety for the characters. She couldn't get enough of them. It was a new experience for her. After all, you just didn't _feel_ like this when reading about quarks or deep space anomalies.

"Good book?," Jack murmured beside her head, leaning over to scan the page over her shoulder. Sam jumped at the interruption, narrowly missing a collision with Jack's face. She narrowed her eyes at him, wondering what had him looking so smug this time...

"It's not as bad as I was expecting," she answered carefully, desperately trying to keep her eyes from wandering back to the page. Morgan and Drake were really having it out this time... Jack chuckled, dragging her attention back to the man leaning over her.

"I'm going to go throw the steaks on the grill. Can I get you anything while I'm up?," he asked, looking for all the world like he was somehow enjoying this.

"I'm good, thanks," she replied quickly, hoping to get back to her book soon. Jack chuckled again.

"Okay then," he said casually, standing to leave. "Just don't let Morgan and Drake get you too hot and bothered, or I'll have to throw you in the lake again," he called, hurriedly dodging out of the way as she threw one of her shoes at his head.

* * *

"Will Colonel Carter not be joining us for dinner tonight?," Teal'c asked, puzzled, as the three men sat down on the veranda to enjoy their steaks. Jack smirked in reply.

"Actually, I think she wanted to eat later, Teal'c," he said casually.

"What's she reading down there, anyway?," asked Daniel, who hadn't actually seen what she'd packed for entertainment. He'd been far too busy trying to organize her wardrobe...Jack's smirk widened into a full-fledged grin.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," he replied smugly, taking a large swig of beer.

Daniel and Teal'c shot each other a confused look, returning their attention to Jack for a better explanation. He shrugged back at them, obviously enjoying himself.

"Jack...," Daniel implored.

"I'll give you a hint," he replied. "It has nothing to do with science."

"So what, you want us to guess?"

"Sure, go ahead. You'll never get it."

"Is that a bet?," challenged Daniel.

"Why not," Jack replied generously. "Winner gets breakfast in bed for the rest of the week."

"You're on," replied Daniel. Jack leaned back in his chair, waiting.

"Daniel Jackson, is it wise to enter into such a wager? Would it not be more prudent to simply ask Colonel Carter herself?," asked Teal'c.

"Ah, c'mon Teal'c!," said Jack, "Where would be the fun in that?"

"Besides," added Daniel, "breakfast in bed would be kind of nice."

"That would depend on the breakfast, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c wisely advised, glancing knowingly at their leader. Daniel couldn't help but notice that Jack hid a smirk behind another swig of beer.

"You may have a point, Teal'c. Although in that case, losing could prove to be a lot more fun than winning." That wiped the smug look off Jack's face. The older man glowered at his two friends, eyes narrowed in sudden distrust. Daniel smiled back innocently. Oh yeah, two could play that game.

"Just give me your best guess, Daniel," Jack half-growled.

Daniel thought for a few moments, wracking his brain for any clue as to what Sam could have packed that would have Jack looking so damn smug. He could remember her complaining about having to leave all the 'good stuff' behind because Jack had threatened to throw any and all academic materials into the lake if he found any on either one of them while they were supposed to be relaxing. And he distinctly recalled her muttering something about a gift from Janet, although he really hadn't been paying much attention at the time... He flushed at the sudden memory of being too preoccupied with Jack's probable reactions to Sam's various outfits to notice what his friend had been saying. That girls' night of their could _so_ never become public knowledge!

"Well?," Jack demanded expectantly.

"I'm thinking," shot Daniel defensively.

"Well, think faster. I think she's finally done. And she's heading our way."

"Worried about getting caught, Jack?"

"Worried about losing, Daniel?"

"From what Teal'c says, I should probably be more worried about winning."

"Just take a guess!"

"Romance," said Daniel in a sudden stroke of inspiration. Janet had always kept a stack of romance novels in her infirmary office for those rare and brief moments of peace at the SGC.

Jack stared at him incredulously. _Huh, I must be right_, Daniel mused as Sam sauntered happily onto the porch.

"Why didn't you tell me dinner was ready?," she asked, taking in their half-eaten steaks with a small frown.

"Last time I spoke to you, you threw a shoe at my head," Jack replied pointedly. "Besides, we couldn't leave Morgan hanging, now could we?" Sam glared at him.

"Who is Morgan?," inquired Teal'c.

Sam flushed. "One of the characters in this novel," she admitted sheepishly, holding the book up for Teal'c to see. Daniel leaned in for a closer look as well, then quickly had to bite back a laugh. Judging by the cover, the book was most _definitely_ a romance novel, although that in and of itself was not what tickled Daniel's funny bone. Janet must have chosen it quite carefully for her friend; even at a quick glance, Daniel could tell it had something to do with forbidden love in the military. It was all he could do not to laugh out loud at the doctor's recommended reading. Janet must have known just as surely as he and Teal'c knew...

Teal'c studied the cover silently for a moment. Meeting Sam's already embarrassed gaze, the large Jaffa did little to alleviate her discomfort when he frowned, asking, "Do you require direction in the Taur'i mating ritual, Colonel Carter?"

Daniel quickly excused himself, bolting for the cabin where he could laugh without hurting Sam's feelings. Behind him, he could still hear Jack choking on his beer, coughing loudly as Teal'c whacked him repeatedly in the back, while Sam spluttered some sort of explanation to their alien friend.

* * *

As if their dinner conversation hadn't been mortifying enough, Teal'c had somehow managed to convince Sam to lend him the book she had just finished, showing great interest in the fact that there were three other novels in the same series. Sam could only guess at his reaction to the more intimate scenes. Somehow, she didn't think the Jaffa openly discussed bedroom activities, let alone read about them for fun.

Miraculously enough, however, the rest of the evening passed without any further razing by the guys, although she couldn't yet decide if she should be relieved by this, or worried about things to come. After the whole girls' night thing, Daniel might be willing to let it slide, but Jack was a whole other matter. He very rarely passed on the opportunity to make fun of them. And she had gone out of her way to antagonize him all day long... Not that he hadn't had it coming.

"I don't know about you kids," yawned Jack a few hours later, "but I think I need to turn in for the night."

"Yeah, I could go for an early night, too," said Daniel, stretching from his cramped position at Jack's coffee table. They had been playing poker, with Teal'c noticeably in the lead the whole game.

"Speaking of which, where are we all sleeping?," Sam asked, looking around the tiny cabin.

"I gave Teal'c my room since it has the only bed big enough to hold him," Jack replied. "And Daniel, here, snagged the guest room last night while you were sawing logs out in the car. So unless you want to arm-wrestle one of them for either of the beds, you're stuck with either the couch or the air mattress." Sam shrugged.

"I'll take whichever one you don't want," she said.

"Ah, but that leaves me in the perilous situation of having to choose between chivalry or comfort...," Jack trailed. Sam shot him a look.

"Well, _Jack_," she replied mockingly, "If I'd wanted chivalry, I'd never have joined the Air Force."

"In that case, you take the couch, I'll take the air mattress," he shot back, grinning. Sam rolled her eyes.

"You can use my room to change, Sam," Daniel offered, figuring she'd be more comfortable leaving her bags in there rather than in the small living room, which was already cluttered with all of Jack's things from the night before.

"Thanks, Daniel," she smiled, rising from her place on the floor.

Sam quickly moved her things into Daniel's room while the three men were left to tidy up for the night. Rifling through her clothes in search of her new pajamas, she had a sudden, horrifying thought: Had she ever taken them out of the dryer? Cursing silently, she emptied her bag, desperately willing them to be there.

No such luck. She had just agreed to share the living room with her commanding officer, and she had nothing to wear. Sam groaned.

"Daniel!," she hissed, peeking through a crack in the door. Daniel came over.

"What is it, Sam?," he asked, concerned. Sam opened the door a little more, pulling him inside before shutting it again. "Are you all right?," he tried again, really worried now.

"We forgot my pajamas in the dryer!," she exclaimed quietly, her eyes begging him to somehow find a solution to her predicament.

"Um, okay," he mused out loud. "What about those jogging shorts you packed?" Sam stared him down, hands on her hips. "You mean the ones I went swimming in this morning?," she asked pointedly, thinking dark thoughts about their host. "Ah, right," Daniel replied quickly. He sighed, closing his eyes. "Shirt or boxers?," he asked grudgingly, turning toward his own bag.

Sam narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you seriously making it an either/or?"

"Never mind," Daniel sighed again, handing her both. "Are you okay now?"

"I'll be fine, thanks," she replied, flashing him a quick smile before shooing him from the room.

* * *

Sam emerged from his room a few minutes later, a pillow tucked under one arm and a small bag in one hand. Tossing the pillow to the couch on her way by, she headed wordlessly to the bathroom, clearly oblivious to the three sets of eyes following her every move. Daniel's three-tone blue plaid shirt fit her remarkably well, somehow accentuating her femininity in ways it was surely never intended. And it was so long, you really couldn't see the boxers he knew were hidden underneath.

Daniel shook himself, trying to replace the mental image of Sam in his clothing with one of Sha're. Teal'c had already recovered and was busily stashing their poker chips and cards in a kitchen drawer, but Jack stood as if dumbfounded, his eyes glued to the now closed bathroom door.

Daniel nudged his friend's shoulder as he headed for the guest room, casually adding, "'Night Jack," as he passed by. Surreptitiously glancing back, he was rewarded with the sight of Jack tearing his glazed gaze away from the door to glare at the source of the interruption. Daniel turned away again, grinning. The last time he had seen Jack look that smitten was on one of their first missions together as a team, when Sam had been forced to wear that blue dress among the Shavadai.

Daniel shut his door with a smirk. If those two weren't together by the end of the week, he'd eat his best hat.


	4. Chapter 4 - Monday

A/N: Thank you for the lovely reviews! I'm really glad people are enjoying this one! Here's another chapter, to help you through your work-week.

And as always, feedback is welcome!

* * *

For reasons neither one of them would ever admit to, Jack and Sam had never, in the seven years they had spent going off-world together, shared a tent. Jail cells, sure. An ice sheet in Antarctica, yes. But never a confined space, with just the two of them, alone, to sleep.

As a matter of fact, they had silently worked out a nice little trade-off schedule for bunking with Teal'c and Daniel off-world, which nobody, in all that time, had ever questioned them on it. So why Jack hadn't told Daniel to vacate the spare room for Carter, he couldn't quite fathom. But here they were, for the first time in eight years, trapped in the same room, late at night, without fear of Goa'uld retaliation or frostbite, trying to sleep. Unsuccessfully, he might add.

Sam rustled around on the couch some more, trying to get comfy. Jack played with the fraying edge of his sleeping bag.

"Sam?," he whispered.

"Yeah?," she whispered back.

"I can't sleep."

"You were the one who wanted to call it a night," she pointed out.

"I know. But I'm awake now."

He could hear her rustling around some more.

"Do you want to trade?," he asked.

"What?"

"Trade. Beds. You don't sound very comfortable, over there."

"I'm fine," she replied, rearranging her blankets.

"Are you sure?," he asked. "I survived last night on the couch. I'm sure I could do it again..."

"I'm fine," she repeated, laughter in her voice. "Really."

They both lay silently for a few minutes, Jack listening for the telltale signs of his room-mate falling asleep. They never came.

"Sam?," he whispered again.

"Yeah?", she whispered back.

He had no idea what he wanted to say. Crap. "Uh, cute jammies," he tried.

"Um, thanks," she replied, embarrassed. "I forgot to pack mine, so Daniel leant me something to wear."

"Well, the look works for you. Really." She snorted. "I'm serious!," he said. "That shirt looks way better on you than on Daniel...". Sam laughed.

"Don't let him hear you say that. I think this is one of his favourites."

"Hey," he said, suddenly remembering. "What was with that little sleepover of yours?"

She shifted uncomfortably. "I, uh, needed some help packing," she replied.

"Packing?"

"Yeah. Packing."

"You pack all the time," he said, obviously confused.

Sam sighed. "That's what Daniel said, too. This was different."

"Wanted more than military rations and a change of clothes?," he guessed with a smirk.

"I didn't think I'd ever live it down if that's all I brought," she replied with a grin.

"Probably not."

They fell silent again. Jack closed his eyes, willing sleep to come. Nothing.

"I still can't sleep," he whispered after a few more minutes. Sam giggled.

"Well, Sir, if you need a bedtime story, I suggest you go talk to Daniel," she shot.

"Why do you always do that?," he asked.

"Do what?"

"Call me 'Sir' again when we're just starting to relax."

"I call you 'Sir' all the time," she replied.

"You really don't have to, you know," he said after a moment. "Especially here. I've never brought my rank fishing before." Sam giggled again.

"I'll try to remember," she replied laughingly. "Old habits, and all that, though."

"Ugh, I hate clichés!"

"That's why I didn't finish, _Jack_," she replied tauntingly.

"You know, even when you say my name, it sounds like 'Sir,' he complained.

Sam really laughed this time. It was a nice sound.

"Goodnight, Jack," she said carefully, obviously trying to avoid the military inflection she had managed to give his name before.

"'Night, Sam," he whispered, feeling just a little closer to his second-in-command than he had in a long, long time.

* * *

Too many years in the field, plus regularly pulling all-nighters in her lab, meant that even when she had time off, Sam never slept more than a few hours together. It was as if her body had simply forgotten how to get a good night's rest.

Sam rose silently with the sun, donning yesterday's jogging shorts and t-shirt for another run. Jack had mentioned something about trails, and she was fairly certain there was enough light this morning for her to find her way. She was just lacing her sneakers when a gruff voice made her jump.

"Trying to sneak out without me again?," Jack rumbled sleepily, pushing himself up on his makeshift bed.

"Go back to sleep. The sun's up today, I won't get lost."

Jack smiled ruefully at her. "How about some company, just for the sake of it?," he asked, climbing stiffly to his feet.

"Five minutes?," she asked.

"You bet."

A few minutes later, they were turning onto a rough trail through the bush. It was barely wide enough for one person, let alone two, so Jack took point to lead the way. It made conversation more difficult, but the scenery was beautiful, and the earthy smell of decaying leaves beneath their feet was intoxicating.

"So when did you have time to clear this trail?," Sam asked after a while.

"Who says it was me?," he asked innocently, glancing over his shoulder to make himself heard.

"Who else lives back here?, she retorted.

"I don't technically live here either," he replied. Silence. Then, "Just after the Abydos mission. The second time I retired," he added. Sam smiled.

"Looks like you put a lot of effort into this," she noted. The trail may not have been wide, but it was well cleared and hard-packed, perfect for an early morning jog.

He shrugged awkwardly, trying not to disrupt their pace. "I was considering living out here full-time."

Sam cocked an eyebrow in response. "Any regrets?," she asked after a moment.

"Sometimes," he said, and she could hear the smile in his voice. "Mostly not, though. Not about that, anyway," he added.

"Is this where you'll be when you finally do retire?," she asked curiously. Jack stopped in his tracks, Sam nearly colliding with him. He turned to face her.

"That depends," he answered seriously, his voice rich with unspoken question as he searched her face. Sam swallowed hard, trying to keep her breathing even.

"Depends on what?," she whispered hoarsely, already seeing the answer in his eyes.

"Whether there's anyone with me or not," he replied at last, his warm brown gaze melting her where she stood.

Sam couldn't look away, and Jack, for his part, seemed completely unwilling to be the first to move. It was fast becoming one of _those_ moments, dangerous, intense, heartbreaking. _Just tell him_, she urged herself, but the words refused to come. An eternity passed between them, silent, imploring. Jack took a single, tentative step forward, his eyes never leaving her own. Sam held her breath.

One heartbeat. Two...

A squirrel darted out from the underbrush edging the trail, narrowly missing their feet as it skittered by. The moment was over. Sam closed her eyes briefly, a familiar mixture of relief and regret washing over her. She couldn't go on like this for much longer. Opening her eyes again, she saw the same emotions play across Jack's face before the military facade was slammed firmly back in place. There was no denying what had nearly just happened between them, yet Sam knew all too well there'd be no acknowledgment either. The price she paid for suggesting they could just leave it in the room...

* * *

Jack hit the lake at a dead run, plummeting into the frigid depths. Numbing his body, however, did little to help numb his mind. He now owed his career to a squirrel. Jack sank straight to the bottom, hitting the sandy floor with his feet first, then his butt. He'd have about thirty seconds before he'd have to start swimming up. He needed to clear his head.

They'd come close in the past. Close to saying all the things they couldn't say. Close to doing all the things they couldn't do. Hell, he'd even kissed her once, during that infernal time loop incident he so ardently wished he could forget. But they had always known their time was short in the past. That even if something were to happen, it would be so brief it probably wouldn't really count. Just like the time-loop. In the blink of an eye, it was all over, and Sam didn't remember a thing. Didn't count.

But today, today had been different. There had been no battle raging in the background. No force-shields, or explosions rocking the ground they stood on. No impending doom. They had come closer than ever before. And the only reason the line between them was still intact was all because of a little squirrel.

The worst part was, Jack didn't give a damn about the Air Force. He had quit twice already, fercryin'outloud. The best years of his life were classified, done and gone. He didn't need the Air Force; the Air Force needed him. And that was the real problem. Jack O'Neill liked being needed.

Out of time (and oxygen), Jack rose back to the surface, bobbing gently in the water as he filled his lungs with the cool morning air. Sam was lapping back and forth across the pond, probably working through her own frustration. Jack put a good twenty feet between them, joining her in their silent tirade against...well, everything.

* * *

Sam quit first, pulling herself wordlessly up onto the dock and heading back to the cabin to change. Teal'c and Daniel were still asleep when she got in. She crept quietly to the bathroom, stripping out of her wet clothes and toweling herself dry. Only then did she realize she had forgotten to grab something dry to wear on her way in. Cursing silently, she wound the towel tightly around her waist, tossed her wet clothing outside to hang up later, and tiptoed into Daniel's room to fetch her things.

She was just pulling a clean shirt on over her head when Daniel stirred, mumbling something incoherent. Straightening, Sam gently moved to leave the room, but Daniel's voice, more coherent now, stopped her guiltily in her tracks.

"What time is it?," he mumbled, reaching blearily for his glasses.

"Just after dawn," she whispered. "Go back to sleep, Daniel."

"You okay?," he asked, squinting at her.

"I'm fine. Really. Go back to sleep."

"You're lying," he decided, sitting up. Sam stared at him, caught. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," she said evasively. Daniel sighed.

"Sam, I know you better than that. And you know I'll find out eventually, so you might as well just save us both some trouble and tell me what's bothering you now."

"It's nothing, really," she replied, more emphatically this time.

"Something to do with Jack?," he guessed.

"Nothing happened, Daniel. Go back to sleep."

"Did you want something to happen?" Sam sighed. Sometimes her friend was too perceptive for his own good.

"I really don't want to talk about it," she said at last.

"I could always ask Jack," he replied. She raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Not that he'd be any more forthcoming," Daniel sighed, looking almost defeated. "Did you two do another one of your what-doesn't-kill-you-only-makes-you-stronger military-type marathons this morning?"

"Actually, it was a much slower pace this morning. We took a bush trail instead of the main road."

"Followed by another icy bath, by the looks of it." Sam shrugged. "So what didn't happen?," he asked, watching her closely.

Sam growled. "Daniel, we went for a run, we went for a swim, nothing else happened! What difference does it make?"

"Sam, you came here with the intent to at least bend the rules, if not outright break them. And I know Jack well enough to know he'd go along with anything you suggest, given the opportunity. So I ask again, what _didn't_ happen?"

Sam glared at him, mentally calculating the wisdom of just telling him what he wanted to know versus keeping her mouth shut. Finally she sighed, defeated, and said softly, "He didn't kiss me."

Daniel studied her for a moment before saying, "I didn't realize there was much opportunity for kissing while running." Sam shot him a warning look. "We were talking while we ran. I asked a question, he stopped to answer, there was a moment, then everything got really awkward and we came back."

"A moment?," Daniel asked, confused.

"A moment. You know. When everything all of a sudden makes perfect sense, and you can see your entire future unfold before you, and you just know that everything will turn out okay because you've been given another chance... A moment."

"O-kay..." said Daniel. "So you had a _moment_ but he didn't kiss you?"

"There was a squirrel."

"I'm sorry. What?"

"A squirrel. It ran between us."

"A squirrel?"

"Yes."

"A squirrel interrupted your moment?"

"It's not funny Daniel!"

"I never said it was."

"You're trying not to laugh."

"I haven't had any coffee yet. It's early. A squirrel stole Jack's mojo. I'm sorry, I can't help it!" And Daniel began to shake with silent laughter, eventually covering his face with his pillow to muffle any sound.

Sam buried her face in her hands, trying not to scream. Men! They just didn't understand!

"I'm sorry, Sam," gasped Daniel, pulling the pillow away from his face. "I'm all right now." She looked at him skeptically. "So Jack lost his nerve. Why didn't you just kiss him?"

"I can't do that!," she said, looking appalled.

"Why not?"

"Because he's still my CO!"

"And he'll still be your CO even if he kisses you first. Unless, of course, you're planning on waiting until the US Air Force decides to transfer one or both of you away from the SGC, by which point you may have to remind Jack to put his teeth in before trying anything."

"Daniel!"

"Sam. Either you're ready to break the rules, or you're not. The SGC needs you. Both of you. But you need each other, too. Trust me when I say your dad wasn't the only one hoping the pair of you would figure this thing out. Everyone who knows you and cares for you wants to see you happy. And Jack makes you happy. So if he won't make a move, you're going to have to. Got it?"

Sam stared at him, completely caught off guard. He was right, of course. But how on earth was she supposed to make the first move? She wasn't good at first moves. She could flirt. She could encourage. She could command a small strike force into Goa'uld occupied territory. But making the first move? She couldn't do it.

Daniel was watching her closely. "Sam?," he asked at last.

"Yeah?," she answered back.

"You do know how to do this, right?"

* * *

By the time Jack was too exhausted to swim anymore, everyone was already up for the day. Handing Daniel a bowl of Fruit Loops in lieu of his promised breakfast in bed, Jack quickly grabbed a bowl of cereal for himself, then silently retreated to the dock, fishing rod in hand, praying for a quiet day of brooding. Thus he was more than a little surprised, and even a tad dismayed, to find that the dock was already occupied when he got there.

Sam was sprawled out on her towel again, this time wearing beige shorts and a crocheted top of some sort over a splash of vibrant orange. Jack stood half-way to the dock, staring. She was obviously reading again, and clearly oblivious to him gaping like a fool at the picture she made on his dock.

"Going fishing?," Daniel asked, breaking his trance.

"What? Oh, yeah," he replied guiltily, remembering the real reason for standing there. Daniel's blue eyes glittered with suppressed amusement, but Jack ignored it. His feelings for Sam were no great secret among the four people currently occupying his cabin. So what would be the point in denying anything?

"You'd better go take your seat," the younger man advised. "Teal'c was eyeing it earlier."

Jack blinked, drawing a blank. "Teal'c hates fishing," he stated at last. Daniel grinned.

"But he likes reading, and it does seem to be Sam's preferred spot." Daniel shrugged.

Jack considered that for a moment. Then he nodded. "Tell Teal'c he can bring his own seat down if he wants," he shot, already walking towards his favourite spot in the known universe.

"Will do," Daniel called cheerily. Jack had the distinct impression he had just missed something important, but since he couldn't quite put his finger on what it could be, he did his best to shrug it off, settling quietly into the seat beside his brainy second-in-command, who in return seemed completely oblivious to his presence a mere two feet away.

That was fine by him. Casting his line in, Jack sat and thought, occasionally sneaking a glance over at the woman beside him, his mood lifting noticeably as he watched her relax into another one of those silly books she'd brought with her.

* * *

Teal'c was three-quarters of the way through Sam's first romance novel by the time Jack came in for lunch. Sam was still out on the dock, never having said a word as he'd come and gone, and Daniel had disappeared somewhere.

"Good book?," Jack asked dryly, interrupting the Jaffa's reading.

"Indeed, O'Neill. It is a most compelling tale." Jack blinked at him.

"I'll have to take your word for it," he replied at last.

"I believe it would be wise for you to read Colonel Carter's novels as well," Teal'c stated casually.

"Uh, why?," Jack asked.

"Because the situation of these characters is very much akin to that of yourself and Colonel Carter. Perhaps they could aid you in resolving your own circumstances."

Jack gaped at him. Was this Teal'c's way of playing _matchmaker_? He'd expect this from Daniel, but Teal'c? His brother-at-arms?

"I don't know what you're talking about, Teal'c," Jack replied carefully, schooling his words into a casual tone. So much for not bothering to hide anything from his friends. Jack could feel years of natural defenses coming into play.

"Indeed?," came Teal'c' skeptical reply. "Then how would you explain Colonel Carter's agitation following your time together this morning, as well as your own unusual behaviour?"

"Nothing happened, Teal'c," Jack replied. "Besides, what's so unusual about _fishing_?"

"I did not imply that anything had occurred between yourself and Colonel Carter," intoned Teal'c, ignoring Jack's second question. Jack ran his fingers nervously through his hair. "Carter was agitated?," Jack asked at last.

"Indeed," said Teal'c. "She sought council from Daniel Jackson while you were still outside." Jack blinked at him again. You'd think after everything he'd seen and done these past few years, nothing would surprise him anymore, but Teal'c... Well, Teal'c had a knack for knocking him off-guard.

"Daniel?," he repeated, dumbfounded. "She's brought _Daniel_ into this now, too?"

"So it would seem, O'Neill," replied Teal'c.

"But nothing happened!," Jack insisted.

"Is that not perhaps part of the problem?," asked Teal'c. Jack glared at him.

"I'm still her commanding officer, T. Nothing can happen between us so long as that's true."

"Then perhaps it is time for a change, O'Neill."

Jack exhaled loudly. "I'm not ready to retire, Teal'c. And I would never ask her to sacrifice her career. Not for me."

"Colonel Carter may not view it as a sacrifice in light of what she could gain."

"What she could gain being a crotchety old General with enough emotional baggage to fill a luggage store," Jack declared bitterly.

"I was referring to a life with the one she loves, O'Neill."

"So was I. Look, T, she deserves better. Much as I'd love to believe things could ever work out between us, I'll never be able to give her everything she deserves."

"Then perhaps you should declare your unwillingness so that she may find someone new."

Jack closed his eyes against the truth in Teal'c's impartial assessment. The trouble was, she had already found someone new. And still, in the end, she had come back to him. It seemed inevitable. He couldn't bring himself to push her away, and she couldn't bring herself to leave him behind. So they were trapped, a thin line of self-restraint being all that kept them from throwing caution to the wind and breaking every Air Force regulation in the book, consequences be damned.

"It's not that simple, T," he whispered at last.

"That which is worthwhile rarely is," Teal'c stated sagely, settling back into his book.

Defeated, Jack retreated to the kitchen, hoping to find solace in food. At least that couldn't talk back to him.

* * *

"Anything?," Daniel asked, coming up behind Sam on the dock.

"Nothing," she said, rolling over to see him.

"Huh. I thought for sure that would work..."

"Daniel, I could glue myself to his side, and he would never break military protocol. He's been immersed in it too long. This is never going to work."

"Nonsense. We'll just have to think of something else to try."

Sam sighed. "Daniel, I don't think this whole 'first move' idea is going to work. Not for me."

"Says the leader of the most elite secret military team on the planet," replied Daniel with a hint of irony. Sam smiled ruefully at him.

"This is different."

"All right. Then we need to figure out how to get Jack to do it himself."

Sam groaned. "Like I said, he would never break protocol."

"Oh, come on, Sam. You can't seriously believe that. Jack breaks protocol all the time."

"Never for anything less than the fate of the planet," she shot back.

"We'll see about that," replied Daniel. "We just need to think a little more like Jack."

* * *

Jack and Sam were alternating between long silences and awkward conversation. It had been like that all day, despite repeated attempts on Daniel's part to get a proper group discussion going. Determined to end this before it could get completely out of hand, Daniel went to Teal'c for support. The Jaffa already knew something was up, after all. What could it possibly hurt to let him in on the rest?

"Any ideas on how we can get them talking?," he asked the large warrior, nodding over to their two brooding friends at the campfire.

"I do not," replied Teal'c. "I have already informed O'Neill that he must resolve the situation between himself and Colonel Carter, but he appears to be ignoring my advice."

Daniel blinked in surprise. "Really?," he asked. "You talked to Jack?"

"Indeed."

"Huh."

"Have you not been engaged in similar conversations with Colonel Carter?," Teal'c asked.

"Yeah, I have," mused Daniel. "I told her she'd have to be the one to make the first move," he added.

"I believe you are correct, Daniel Jackson. O'Neill does not believe he has enough to offer Colonel Carter as a mate."

"He, uh, what?," asked Daniel, caught off guard.

Teal'c's lips quirked up in a partial smile. "I have informed him that Colonel Carter appears to believe otherwise," he added.

"We have to get them together," said Daniel. Teal'c raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Is that not something they should attempt for themselves, Daniel Jackson?"

"Under ordinary circumstances, yes. But right now, if we leave it up to them, it may never happen. They're both masters of self-repression. We need to help."

"What is it you wish to do?," Teal'c asked.

"I don't know yet," mused Daniel thoughtfully. "I'll have to sleep on it."


	5. Chapter 5 - Tuesday

A/N: Hey, all! I'd just like to thank everyone again for all the lovely reviews, they're really making my week! This next chapter is a little different in tone, so please, let me know if it works!

Also, I know I've been posting every two days, but I forgot there was a long weekend coming up, and I promised to go out to camp with my husband...so, unless I find the opportunity tomorrow before he drags me away from our internet connection, my next posting probably won't be until Monday evening. So sorry!

Oh, and in case I haven't said it before: major spoilers for seasons one through eight ahead.

* * *

Sam breathed a sigh of relief as she closed the door behind her, leaving her three companions sound asleep in the warmth of General O'Neill's Minnesota cabin. Starting with a gentler pace this morning, Sam jogged silently along the main road, the only sound disturbing the pre-dawn peace being the soft crunch of gravel beneath her feet. She let her mind wander freely, desperate for some resolution to the issues currently plaguing her life.

Jack had been on the brink of kissing her, and she'd done nothing to encourage him. Why? It was something she'd been wanting to do for the better part of eight years now, and she was pretty sure it was something he'd been wanting too. And okay, so the squirrel had interrupted the moment, but why hadn't she said anything afterwards? Why hadn't she told him the truth, that she'd called off the wedding with Pete because there was only one man she could imagine spending the rest of her life with, and it hadn't been her fiancé? Why hadn't she been able to tell him that the Air Force regulations didn't matter so much anymore, now that she knew she wouldn't be disappointing her dad, at least?

She was a coward, that's why. Sure she could come up with improbable solutions to impossible situations at work, and she was growing increasingly more comfortable in her recent promotion to commander of SG-1 ...but in the civilian world, where there were too many random factors to calculate, and where no one simply followed orders, she was completely lost. She had never been able to make a good decision in the civilian world. Take Jonas Hanson, Fiancé number one, as exhibit A. He'd charmed his way into her life, and only at the very last minute had she realized that he was completely wrong for her. Then, of course, there'd been Pete... Pete really was a decent guy, for the most part, but he was pushy. He wanted things to be just right, for him. And she would have gone through with the wedding had it not been for her dad. She would have married him just to prove to herself that she could get over Jack O'Neill and move on with her life. Only it never would have worked. And if it hadn't been for her dad, she knew she would only have realized once it was already too late...

At least with Jack she knew she had the support of her two closest friends and her father to back her. Only it wasn't that simple. Because at the end of the day, neither one of them truly belonged to the civilian world. And that was the crux of her problem. She wanted to have her cake, and eat it, too. And history had shown that was never a good way to start relations...

* * *

Jack woke to the soft sound of the door clicking shut. Peeking through one eye, he confirmed his suspicion: Sam had left without him. Shutting his eyes again, he waited for sleep to reclaim him. No such luck. He considered getting up to go after her, but decided against it. He'd never catch up with her anyway, and even if he could, what would he say? It's not as if she'd been asking for his company the last two days; he'd simply been imposing himself on her solitude.

Groaning, Jack rose from the dubious comfort of his makeshift bed, stretching stiffly in the darkened room. He had no idea what to do with himself this early in the morning. Switching on a lamp, he rummaged idly through his meager stack of books and magazines, as well as his DVD collection, looking for something to entertain him at least until dawn. That was when he found Sam's novel, casually laying on the floor beside the armchair where Teal'c had been reading the day before. Taking a quick look around to make sure he was really and truly alone, Jack sat down to read. After all, if Sam and Teal'c had enjoyed it, how bad could it be?

Half an hour later, Jack was pretty sure both of his friends had somehow lost their minds. The book was pure drivel. Forbidden love in the military. Bah! Not that it was altogether uncommon for personnel to meet and fall in love. It was just that the regs didn't actually prevent most people from being together. They were there to curtail the abuse of power, not interfere with peoples' love lives. All it ever took was for one person to transfer out of the unit... Not a career ender, by any stretch of the imagination. Jack sighed heavily, tossing the novel to the side, glaring at it.

They could have solved this problem four years ago. She'd been a Major. She could have taken command of her own damn unit. Only she'd wanted to leave it in the room. SG-1 was more important...

Growling, Jack stood, pacing restlessly. He couldn't blame her for wanting to stick with _the_ front-line team. Not really. She was good at what she did. Hell, they'd have died countless times over if it hadn't been for Sam Carter, and Earth would have succumbed to the Goa'uld long ago...

Only the Goa'uld weren't so much of a threat anymore, were they? So what the hell were they doing, still avoiding the issue?

Jack growled again, realizing belatedly that only one of them was actually still avoiding it. She'd come to him as soon as Pete was out of the picture. Had stood on his doorstep, ready to talk. Had been interrupted by Kerry...

Had agreed to come to the cabin. After eight long years of endless excuses. Jack stopped dead in his tracks, running his hands distractedly through his sleep-mussed hair. She'd come to his cabin. She'd made the first move, and he'd been too damn blind to see it!

His mind racing with possibilities, Jack moved into the kitchen, making a huge pot of coffee and some scrambled eggs. Peace offering in hand, he tiptoed into Daniel's room, turning the lights on and calling, "Up and at 'em, Danny boy! We have work to do!"

* * *

Daniel fell out of bed, hitting the floor hard as his soon-to-be ex-friend strode purposefully into his room, bright-eyed and rumpled in his sweat-pants and worn grey shirt.

"Jack, what the hell are you doing?," Daniel demanded, picking himself up off the floor and rubbing at a few of the sorest spots on his body.

"Breakfast in bed, remember?," Jack said, way too enthusiastically for Daniel's liking.

"Well, I'm not exactly in bed anymore, now am I?," growled Daniel, glaring blearily at the older man.

"I don't see how that's my problem," Jack replied casually.

"Is it even light out yet?," Daniel asked incredulously, staring out the dark window in his room.

"The sun's starting to come up over the tree line," Jack hedged.

"Shouldn't you be out running with Sam, then?"

"Left without me!," Jack replied cheerfully. Daniel eyed him critically, trying to decide whether or not he'd finally cracked.

"What do you want, Jack?," Daniel demanded.

"I need your help."

"With what, exactly?"

"Showing Sam that I get it."

"Get what, Jack?," Daniel asked, exasperated. Then, "Is that coffee?"

"Why, yes, Daniel, it is!," he replied happily, handing over the mug. "I brought eggs too." Daniel accepted both items, gratefully taking a long drag of the perfectly undiluted coffee Jack had just handed him.

"So what is this really about, Jack?," he asked at last, after another couple mouthfuls of the rich brew.

"Sam came to my cabin," the older man stated, grinning widely as he rocked back on his heals. Daniel stared incredulously.

"You woke me up for that?," he asked disbelievingly. "That's not even a revelation, Jack."

"She made the first move."

"She what?!"

"The first move, Daniel. She came here. With me. I need to respond."

Daniel's jaw dropped in surprise. He was right. All that planning yesterday, and she'd already done it. Sam had made the first move. He'd been so preoccupied by the interrupted kiss, he hadn't even stopped to consider that the ball was already back in Jack's court...and he'd choked on the play.

"What do you need from me?," Daniel asked, much more open to the conversation now than he'd been mere moments before.

"Intel, Danny. I need to know what you know."

* * *

Sam eyed the lake warily. A shower would be preferable, but she really didn't want to wake any of the guys. Especially since she'd managed to sneak out without disturbing any of them this morning. Sighing, she grudgingly removed her socks and shoes, then, even more grudgingly, her T-shirt and shorts. No use getting everything wet if she didn't have to. Then she slid gently into the cool water, gasping loudly as it rose over her bare skin. The pond was frigid. Not waiting for her extremities to go completely numb, Sam began her morning laps, deciding she'd swim just long enough to rinse the worst of the sweat off before going in to warm up.

It was on her second lap that she realized the SUV was missing. Pausing mid-stroke to tread water, she frowned. Jack had explicitly told them to bring everything they'd need for the full week; the point of coming up to the cabin was to get _away_ from town, not find excuses to sneak back in every day or so. She couldn't imagine what any of them could have needed that would warrant breaking one of Jack's cardinal rules. Not to mention the hour. Nothing would even be open yet. And how had they gotten past her, anyway? She'd been on the main road, for crying out loud!

Swimming back to the dock, Sam quickly donned her soon-to-be wet clothing, heading back up to the cabin to see what was going on.

There was nobody there. The rooms were all empty. There was a pan of cold scrambled eggs on the stove, presumably her share of a hurried breakfast, but other than that, no sign that anyone else had been up and moving that morning.

"What, you couldn't even bother to leave a note?," she muttered darkly, searching through the cabin for any clues as to where the guys might have gone. Finding none, she at last resigned herself to reheating her eggs and waiting for her friends to return, hopefully explaining everything once they did.

* * *

Sam was curled up in the oversized armchair, sound asleep, when the three men returned. Quietly sneaking past her, they all made their way to the back room currently being used by Teal'c, stashing their various purchases in there. Then, shooing his friends out to the dock to enjoy the fishing, Jack wandered over to where Sam slept, murmuring her name in her ear. She mumbled incoherently in response, snuggling even deeper into the chair. Jack crouched down beside her, watching her sleep. She really was beautiful.

"Samantha," he said again, this time more loudly. She stirred, rubbing a hand absently across her eyes. "Wake up, Sam," he tried again. "There's something I want to show you."

"Jack, where have you been?," she grumbled sleepily, coming awake now.

"Can't tell you that."

"Why not?"

"It's classified."

She opened her eyes, focusing on the face hovering a mere foot away from her own. "I have the highest security clearance in the country," she stated flatly.

"Not for this, you don't," he replied with a grin. "C'mon, get up. I want to show you something."

Grumbling something about annoyingly vague generals interrupting her sleep, Sam stood and stretched, dropping the third of her romance novels as she did. Jack scooped it up off the floor for her, setting it gently on the coffee table with a slight shake of his head. He'd never understand the appeal, but if they helped Sam forget work for a while, he'd give them their due.

"All right, what do you want to show me?," she asked.

"You'll need your shoes."

Sam crossed the room, grabbing her cross-trainers and putting them on.

"Anything else?," she asked.

"Nope!," he smiled, opening the door for her. "Ladies first." Sam shot him a quizzical look, but went out ahead of him anyway.

The afternoon was bright and warm, a light breeze stirring high in the trees. It was the perfect day for a stroll through the woods. Trying not to think about all the rules he was breaking, including those they had silently set for themselves, Jack reached over and gingerly laced his fingers through hers. Her skin was amazingly soft against his own, and warm. Sam was staring down at their linked hands, her mind obviously working overtime trying to figure out what he was up to. He smiled warmly at her, gently tugging her in the direction they needed to go.

Gravel crunched softly under their feet as they walked, the silence between them unbroken as she wordlessly followed his lead. That was one good thing about so many years in the field together: even when she thought he'd completely lost his marbles, she seemed to trust him implicitly.

"Here," he said, gesturing with his free hand.

Sam paused, obviously confused. "This is the same trail we took yesterday," she said at last.

"We didn't do it right," he shrugged. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise, and he had the uncomfortable feeling she was remembering the botched kiss attempt. Gently leading her onto the trail, he pointed to a towering tree on their right.

"That's where I taught Charlie how to climb trees," he said softly. She glanced to him first, clearly uncertain where this was going, then dutifully turned to look at the tree.

"How far did he make it?," she asked, genuinely curious. The thing was massive now, the lowest branch higher than his head.

"About three branches up. It was a lot shorter then. He was afraid to come back down, so I had to go up after him." Sam was watching him again, her face a mixture of uncertainty and affection. He chuckled softly, pulling her further along the trail.

They came to a small cluster of boulders, a fallen log rotting beside them. "This was our fort," he explained. "We used to spend hours out here, playing every kind of make-believe you can imagine. He loved pretending this was our home base for all kinds of secret missions. Some of what he came up with almost rivals some of what we've seen going through the Stargate." Sam squeezed his hand lightly, shifting a little closer to him as they continued up the trail.

Reaching a natural rise, Jack paused, saying, "This is as far as I got before I was recalled to active duty. Pretty much everything here on in was done in response to something that happened off-world."

"Jack, why are you doing all this?," she asked quietly. "You don't have to...," she trailed. He met her worried gaze, hoping he could find the right words to explain. Preferably without scaring her away.

"You're one of my closest friends," he replied at last, very deliberately choosing his words. "I want you to know who I am. Outside of work." He watched as the worry receded from her eyes, and she nodded her acceptance. Turning back to the slope, he continued his narration.

"I never intended to cut a path over this hill," he said, trying to keep his tone light. "Then I spent three months on Edora." He paused, wincing at the memory. He could feel Sam growing uncomfortable beside him. He led her up the hill, speaking as they walked. "I hadn't left a whole lot behind on Earth," he said softly. "And I was just about ready to accept a life with Laira and her people when Teal'c made it through." He paused again, remembering. "You didn't look me in the eye for a full two weeks after I got back," he said at last, noting with regret the hurt that passed over her features at his words.

"We don't leave our people behind," she replied gently, but there was more to it than that, he could tell.

"I didn't think you'd have a choice," he said softly, willing her to look up from the ground, to meet his gaze...She did. "Sam," he said, taking her other hand in his. "If I'd known how hard you'd fight to get me back, I never would have worked so hard to move on. I've been declared M.I.A. more than once. Making a life on Edora was one of the better options I've been given." Sam nodded again, so he started walking again, leading her forward.

Cresting the hill, they followed the slope downwards into a shallow valley, carpeted in fallen leaves and brightly coloured wildflowers. Towards the end of the valley, rounding into a denser thicket of trees and brush, Jack said, "This is where I left off from the Edora mission." Sam glanced at him, clearly surprised. He'd covered a fair distance trying to work through that particular situation. He shrugged.

"I tackled this next section after that whole fiasco with the armbands. And the Za'tarc testing. And of course the timeloop, and our little stint as Jonah and Thera," he rattled off. "And after I'd had to zat you to protect the base," he whispered. Sam's expression spoke of a deep understanding. She remembered that period too.

They walked through the thicket in silence, hands still linked, each deep in thought. It hadn't been an easy year for either one of them. And it had been the beginning of a whole lot of uneasy moments between them since then.

Clearing the thicket, the trail cut through a thinner section of forest, winding it's way back towards the pond, along the shore opposite from the cabin.

"This next section was a doozy," Jack warned, leading Sam towards the shoreline. "This is where I used to bring Charlie camping. You know, when we really wanted to rough it," he added with a slight grin. "I made it out this far just after Daniel died." He snorted. "The first time. And never tell him he has his own mile of trail. He'd never let me live it down." Sam tightened her grasp on his hand.

"Your secret's safe with me," she said with an affectionate grin.

"I know," he replied, smiling fondly at her, giving her hand an extra squeeze of it's own.

They walked on, Jack growing increasingly nervous about the final section of trail. "Uh, this is the last bit, starting right about here," he said, following the trail as it led back into the bush, arcing away from the pond in a wide loop through rough terrain. "I started this section after you met Pete," he admitted, fighting the urge to say more. To defend what she already knew to be about two and a half miles of trail leading resolutely away from what should have been the obvious final destination of his cabin before caving in on itself and petering out some fifty feet from the entrance to his driveway.

Sam wasn't showing her hand on this one, either. Her face a mask of calm acceptance, she followed him along the rest of the determinedly hacked out trail, never saying a word. Jack swallowed hard, wondering if he'd overstepped his bounds declaring that last bit of information.

The silence stretched between them, not quite uncomfortable, but more apparent than Jack would have liked. He must have blown it. Again. Internally berating himself, Jack was almost too preoccupied to notice when Sam began her own confessions.

"I taught Daniel to fight," she admitted, startling Jack from his self-recrimination.

"You what?," he asked, confused.

"Every time we had another close call, or lost someone we cared for, or thought we'd lost someone...I taught Daniel something new." Jack blinked in surprise. "I brought him to the shooting range for the first time after our encounter with the Shavadai," she confessed. "I taught him hand-to-hand while you were on Edora. And in the weeks that followed," she added, sheepishly. "I put him through weight-training while you were frozen in Antarctica."

"You've done a magnificent job," Jack said, trying to hide his amusement. "You almost can't even tell he's a scientist anymore." If possible, she looked even more embarrassed by that assessment.

"So what did you do the year he was gone? Pick on Jonas?," he asked, genuinely curious. She shook her head no.

"Teal'c stepped in. Reminded me I wasn't alone." She shrugged, obviously uncomfortable.

"Please tell me you've never fought Teal'c," Jack begged, remembering the countless knocks and bruises he'd incurred during their weekly sparring matches. She smiled warmly at him. "No. I've never fought Teal'c."

They stood at the end of the trail, each studying the other in light of everything that had been said. At last Sam spoke again, asking, "What would you have done, if I'd actually married Pete?"

Jack thought about that for several moments. Finally, he said, "I would have been happy for you. As long as you were happy."

"I thought I was happy, and you still added a section to your trail," she pointed out gently.

"Yes, well, I hadn't reached the happy stage yet," he said with a hint of his usual sarcasm. He sighed. "Honestly, Sam, I don't know. I would have been lost without you."

She nodded thoughtfully. "Same here," she said at last. Jack studied her curiously. "When you went missing on Edora. Your solo operation to uncover the NID plot to steal alien technology. Baal. The moon with Colonel Maybourne. The time we had to leave you behind in Antarctica... Every time you've gone missing, it's like a part of me went missing as well," she whispered. Jack stared, dumbfounded, before pulling her in closer, releasing her hand to wrap his arms around her in a tight embrace, trying to erase every moment of fear, uncertainty...

"I'm sorry," he murmured.

"Me too," she said, burying her face in his chest to hide the tears now threatening to overwhelm her.

"Hey, you have nothing to be sorry for," he replied reassuringly, resting his head against her own.

"Over half your trail is devoted to me. To pain I've caused...," she sobbed.

"And you've turned a wimpy archaeologist into a lean, mean fighting machine because of what I've put you through. We'll call it even." Sam chuckled through her tears, somewhat easing his growing concern.

They stood together like that for a long time, holding one another tight against the onslaught of memories brought on by their afternoon stroll. Finally, Jack broke the silence, gently pulling away just enough to look Sam in the eye.

"Sam," he said, his mouth suddenly dry. "What we left in that room four years ago...Are we ready to revisit it?"

* * *

The four friends sat around a bonfire that evening, roasting hotdogs and marshmallows, and reminiscing about everything they'd done together the past few years. Sam was grateful for some good, old-fashioned team-bonding. As much as she'd appreciated, and even enjoyed, her afternoon with Jack, it had taken a heavy emotional toll. She still felt drained, even hours later, welcoming the reprieve the evening together as a group would offer.

Not that she was paying very much attention to what any of the others were saying. Jack had surprised her more than a little that afternoon, both with his candor and with his request to revisit the issue of _them_. Try as she might to concentrate on the familiar tales of their adventures as SG-1, Sam couldn't seem to keep her mind from wandering back to Jack, and everything he'd said just a few hours earlier. As far as she could tell, he was game for a hell of a lot more than just breaking the rules. Now it was up to her to decide what, exactly, she wanted from _him_.

Only Sam was afraid to admit the extent of what she wanted. It would mean big changes. Huge. Not just for them, but for SG-1, for Stargate Command, for the future of the whole Stargate program... Which was precisely why all of this had been left back in that room in the first place. They weren't just US Air Force officers. They were part of something much bigger than the USAF. Bigger than the continental US. Bigger than the whole damn planet.

"Sam?," interrupted Daniel's voice. "I'm getting refills for everyone. Mind giving me a hand?" Sam blinked at him, perplexed, wondering why he hadn't asked one of the other guys to help out. Accepting his hand up, Sam followed him silently back to the cabin, squinting in the sudden brightness of the main room.

"So, how are you holding up?," he asked, leading her into the kitchen for fresh sodas.

"What?," she asked, confused.

Daniel grinned. "Sam, you look about a million miles away tonight. Is everything all right?"

"I don't know, Daniel, you tell me!," she countered. "You probably know more about what's going on right now, anyway." Daniel chuckled.

"Maybe," he replied. "But I'd like to hear your take on it."

"You know, I came here considering the possibility of breaking the rules," she said. "And then I find out that he's ready for a hell of a lot more!"

"And you're not?," Daniel retaliated softly.

"I don't know! It seems pretty selfish, doesn't it?"

"I think you've both earned it, don't you?"

"Daniel, this is bigger than just us."

"And if it wasn't? What would you do then?"

"If it wasn't, we'd have been together long before now," she replied.

"Exactly," he said. "Take the fate of the universe out of the equation for a moment and consider what's best for _you_. We can always break in a new General, or even a new team-lead. Can you say the same for a new partner?"

"No," she admitted a moment later, shutting her eyes in defeat.

"Then you have your answer," he replied, handing her two of the sodas and grabbing a bag of chips on his way back out the door.


	6. Chapter 6 - Wednesday Morning

A/N: Happy end of the August Long Weekend! Here is a new chapter to ring in a new work-week. I may have taken a couple of liberties with Sam's character in this one, but the jury's still out on the matter. I'll let you decide. If I have, I sincerely apologize. If it's believable, thank goodness and happy reading! (And as always, reviews are greatly appreciated! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, I love reading your comments!)

Oh, and just a head's up, there are still three chapters after this one, all of which will be posted sometime this week.

* * *

Jack heard the telltale rustling from the couch and rolled out of bed. Creeping up beside her, he put on his best Colonel's voice, ordering, "Get back to sleep, Carter. I'll take this watch." She mumbled something unintelligible, so for good measure he added, "That's an order." Sam settled back into the soft cushions, drifting peacefully back into a deeper sleep. Silently congratulating himself, Jack crept back to his bed, sinking gratefully into the dubious comfort of the old air mattress for however much additional rest he'd just managed to buy them both.

* * *

The sun was already up when Sam finally opened her eyes. She blinked in surprise. She couldn't remember the last time she'd slept this long. Something wasn't quite right, though. Should she feel this comfortable right now? Frowning in concentration, she could vaguely recall being ordered back to sleep sometime in the night. But that didn't quite mesh with her current surroundings... Glaring accusingly at the sleeping General by her feet, she rolled quietly from the couch, deciding two could play that game.

Slipping into Daniel's room, she grabbed a couple of items from her bag, changing quickly before sidling back into the living room to execute her plan.

* * *

Jack woke up warm. And while there was nothing entirely unusual about that, the warmth seemed to be emanating from one side of his body alone. Peeking over, he froze. A mop of soft blonde hair rested lightly against his chest, followed closely by one very bare, ivory shoulder. A slender arm had snaked up under his shirt, pressing him tight against the owner's soft curves. His pant leg had been hitched up to his knee by a wandering foot, the silky smooth leg still resting casually over his own...

Jack's breath hitched in his throat, every muscle in his body tensing at the unexpected company in his bed. Sam shifted in her sleep, stretching out beside him so that he had a perfect view of her more feminine attributes, framed rather attractively in a pale blue camisole. Jack groaned. At this rate, he was going to need a dip in the pond before he'd even be able to get his jogging pants on.

Sam's eyes fluttered opened at the strangled sound he'd let escape, and she smiled slow and wide, nuzzling back into his side.

" 'Morning," she murmured peacefully.

"Sam, what the hell is going on?," he asked, swallowing hard against her renewed proximity.

"I just thought you might need a little extra rest this morning, since you went to all the trouble of ordering me back to sleep when I tried getting up earlier...," she replied innocently.

"You remember that?," he choked.

"Mm-hm," she murmured, running her hand up his bare side.

"God Carter, are you trying to kill me?," he ground through clenched teeth.

"Of course not, _Sir_," she purred, just as innocently as before, her fingers sending bolts of fire through his body. "I just wanted to make sure you got enough sleep. You've been running a little short this week, and I've heard men your age need their beauty rest."

Jack shut his eyes against the sensory assault she was waging. You'd think she'd have been a little more grateful for the extra sleep. Instead, she really was going to kill him. And she was mocking him, to boot.

"I take it this means we're moving forward?," he gasped, trying to catch that errant hand before it did something truly provocative.

Sam smiled again, stretching to press a string of delicate kisses against his jaw. He shuddered. "Kerry's gone?," she asked. Jack nodded. "Then yes," she breathed.

"Good to know," he said, struggling to retain higher brain function. Deciding to fall back on soldier's instinct instead, he grabbed both her hands, pinning them down while flipping her off him and landing noisily on top of her. "I'm going to go for a nice, long swim now," he said, watching the reckless fire dance in her eyes. "And you will at the very least allow me to cook you a proper dinner before this ever happens again," he added, rolling quickly to his feet and heading for the door.

Sam laughed, a sound that was as much music to his ears as it was molten desire to the rest of him. It took every ounce of will power currently in his possession to open the door and step outside.

* * *

Sam dressed quickly once Jack was outside, silently congratulating herself on a command performance. Served him right for giving orders while they were on vacation. Especially after yesterday. Talk about mixed messages!

Teal'c and Daniel emerged from their respective rooms moments later, evidently having heard at least part of what had passed between them. Slightly embarrassed now that she knew she'd had more of an audience than simply Jack, Sam excused herself to the kitchen to get the coffee started. Both men followed.

"So, what was that?," Daniel asked casually, forcing a grin. Sam shot him a warning look.

"Just a little bit of payback," she said with a shrug. Teal'c and Daniel exchanged a meaningful glance, while Sam just rolled her eyes. "Come on, Daniel. You're the one who said we should think more like Jack."

"Yes, but that was before he decided you'd already made the first move in coming up to his cabin in the first place!," Daniel exclaimed. "Generally speaking, thinking like Jack is not something I'd recommend!"

"Indeed, I believe you are mistaken, Daniel Jackson," intoned Teal'c." Sam and Daniel both turned to him in surprise. "O'Neill is not one to act independently when it comes to matters of the heart. I have observed him to be more likely to pursue one who has actively pursued him first." The other two gaped at their friend.

"In fact," Teal'c continued, "I have only known O'Neill to act in accordance to his own desires on one occasion, during the time loop in which no one but ourselves would remember events as they had been."

Daniel and Sam exchanged a quick glance, focusing back on Teal'c. The large Jaffa remained silent.

"Teal'c," Daniel said slowly. "What do you mean, Jack acted on his own desires?"

"During one of the many loops we encountered, General O'Neill resigned his commission in order to physically demonstrate his devotion to Colonel Carter."

Sam choked, coughing loudly to recover. Daniel studied Teal'c thoughtfully.

"What did he do?," he asked at last. Sam shot him a murderous look.

"He kissed her in the control room," Teal'c stated plainly. Sam's eyes widened in surprise.

"You mean to tell me he actually kissed me, knowing I wouldn't remember?"

"That is correct, Colonel Carter."

She looked back to Daniel. "And you were worried about my nerve," she grumbled at last.

* * *

Sam was waiting for him on the dock, towel in hand. Her expression was completely unreadable, which in his experience, at least, usually meant trouble. And since there was no one else around, he could only assume it would be trouble for _him_. Swimming to the end of the dock, he paused. Sam's eyes were resolutely fixed on the other side of the lake, but even still... Glancing at her expression once more, he sighed, resigning himself to coming up in the buff once again. At least this time there was a towel in plain sight.

Sam met his eyes as he secured the proffered fabric around his waist, searching his face for answers he didn't think she'd find.

"Sam, is everything all right?," he asked gently, wondering if somehow the events of the morning had already gone too far.

"You kissed me," she stated matter-of-factly, her gaze never leaving his face.

"Uh, Sam..."

"That's why you looked so smug, just after we broke the timeloop. You kissed me."

He stared at her, searching for something she might want to hear. Finally, he simply nodded, acknowledging the veracity of her accusation.

"Why?"

"I wanted to see how you'd react."

"And?"

"You were appalled that I was resigning, but you still kissed me back," Jack replied with a cocky smirk.

"Is that all that happened?," she asked sternly.

"Yes," he replied, the smirk wiped clean off his face. "Sam, I'd never...," he trailed helplessly, at a loss for words.

"Okay, then," she replied, relaxing slightly. And then she stepped forward, closing the short distance between them. Jack held his breath, mesmerized, as she stood on tiptoe, lacing her fingers through the hair at the back of his head, pulling him closer... Their lips met softly at first, a gentle greeting, but the kiss soon turned urgent, years of unspoken fear, loneliness and need filtering through. Jack tried to slow their progress, struggling to retain equilibrium in the onslaught of emotion lanced with desire, but his own body turned against him. Using one arm to pull her closer, the other cupped her face, fingers lacing into her soft blonde hair as his tongue begged for hers. His mind screamed for him to stop, before things really got out of hand, but his body wasn't listening. And if Sam's current grip on him was any indication, she wasn't thinking any more clearly than he was...

"Jack," interrupted Daniel's calm voice in their pre-arranged warning. Jack broke away from Sam panting, resting his head against her own as she tried to push closer. "I think it's time for plan B," Jack gasped, pointedly ignoring the younger man's smug amusement emanating from the other end of the dock.

* * *

The four friends convened on the large wooden deck at the rear of the cabin, Jack freshly clothed and both he and Sam noticeably more collected than they had been a few minutes before.

"So plan B is a group activity?," Sam asked.

"Not exactly, no," replied Daniel. "Plan B is to have you and Jack discuss your options calmly, preferably with all your clothing still intact." Sam scowled at him.

"Then what was plan A?"

"To follow your lead," answered Jack, moving a little closer to where she stood. "Daniel liked that idea best, but in my experience, plan A never works out. So we came up with plan B, just in case."

"Are there any other plans in case this one doesn't work out?," she asked.

The three men exchanged quick glances. "There may be other plans," Jack hedged. "But most of them hinge on the outcome of plan B."

"So we talk?" Jack nodded. "All of us?," Sam asked, a little doubtfully.

Daniel snorted. "It's not like Teal'c and I aren't already involved. Might as well stick around to make sure you don't do anything you'll regret." Sam shot him a look that clearly said she didn't think she would have regretted the outcome of plan A had he not interrupted, but he ignored her.

"We'll just be over here," he said instead, motioning towards two chairs set up on the opposite side of the deck. Bowing slightly, Teal'c turned to follow the archaeologist, settling into one of the two chairs and resuming his progress through Sam's series. He was a book ahead of her now, she couldn't help but notice, reading the last of her novels. Daniel had a novel of his own to peruse. Sam turned to Jack.

"So we talk?," she asked again. Jack grinned. "Much as I would have preferred the alternative, yes. We talk." He leaned against the deck railing, watching her. She raised an eyebrow.

"Am I supposed to start?," she asked uncertainly. He sighed.

"Sam, I know what I want from this," he said, motioning between the two of them. "But I need to know what you want. What you expect."

"I don't expect anything," she said with a shrug. He eyed her carefully, deciding she was serious.

"Well, maybe you should," he said at last.

"Excuse me?"

"Sam, you deserve more than a casual affair with your CO. A hell of a lot more, in my opinion."

"What are you saying, Jack? That this is an all or nothing deal? Are you going to be the one to throw your career away, or am I?," she demanded, her voice carefully controlled while hurt and rejection raged in her eyes.

"I'm saying we've waited this long. If you want the full deal, we could always wait a little longer to work things out through the proper channels."

"I'm tired of waiting, Jack. Every time any one of us steps through that Stargate, there's always the chance we'll never be coming back through. We're good, but we've been lucky so far. Most teams only have one or two of their original members left. Hell, we've lost Daniel twice already. I don't think I can live with the possibility of never having anything with you just to keep the Air Force regulations intact."

Jack nodded solemnly. "All right. No waiting," he acquiesced. "But that still leaves the question of how far we're willing to take this."

"What did you mean earlier, when you said you already know what you want?," she asked. Jack smiled ruefully at her.

"I want to wake up beside you every morning," he said, stepping closer. "I want to be able to hold you in public, and kiss you whenever I want." He took another step. "And I never, ever want to be addressed as 'Sir' by you again," he murmured, gently cupping her face with one hand while resting his forehead against her own. "I want it all, Sam. For life."

Sam's breath caught in her throat as the full weight of his words sank in. "Jack," she began. He shook his head, pulling away to meet her gaze.

"I'm a selfish old bastard, Sam," he confessed. "When I said I want it all...I'm not ready to retire yet. And I won't ask you do what I wouldn't do myself."

"What if I volunteer?," she whispered. He chuckled darkly.

"I'd always wonder if I'd forced your hand. Besides, I meant what I said about you being one of our greatest national resources...I won't do anything to take you away from your career. Even if it means never having what I want."

"Jack, we can't live like this forever," she pleaded.

"Which brings us to plan C," he said reluctantly.

"Plan C?," she asked.

"It'll be an automatic court-martial if we're ever caught, and it's the worst damn compromise I've ever heard," he explained bitterly, "but Daniel and Teal'c seem to think we could make it work. Somehow," he added.

"So what's plan C?," she whispered, mentally preparing herself for the worst.

"We get married," he replied simply. Sam's eyebrows shot up in surprise, and Jack almost had to laugh at the shock plainly written across her features. "In secret," he added quickly. "We tiptoe around each other at work, same as before, only a couple times a year we sneak up here for a bit with our two favourite alibis," he explained, nodding discreetly in the direction of their friends.

"You hate plan C," she stated.

"It's not one of our best," he replied. "It's a whole lot of risk without very much gain."

They were silent a moment while Sam contemplated his words. When she spoke, she surprised her CO more than she ever imagined possible.

"I think I'd rather be your wife a few days a year than anyone else's wife everyday for the rest of my life," she said softly. Jack stood speechless, staring hard. She flushed, embarrassed. "But we can always think of another option, if that's what you want," she added hastily.

"No," he said.

"No, what?," she asked, confused.

"If you're happy with Plan C, we'll go with that," he clarified.

"Are you sure?," she asked. "I mean, if it's not what you want..."

"I'll take what I can get," he said firmly, closing the distance between them. Their lips met for the second time that day, this time without any urgency. Firm, tender, loving, they made a thousand silent promises to one another for better things to come.

* * *

"I take it you have decided upon a new course of action, O'Neill," interrupted Teal'c some time later.

"Indeed," he murmured against Sam's lips, eliciting a giggle from his soon-to-be wife.

"Plan C?," Daniel asked, stepping up beside Teal'c. Jack reluctantly broke away, nodding. "Good," said the archaeologist. "Do we have a timeline yet?" Jack frowned.

"We hadn't gotten that far, yet, Daniel," Jack replied a bit tersely.

"O'Neill. Our remaining time here is limited. You must act quickly if you wish sufficient time to consummate your marriage," Teal'c admonished. Three sets of horrified eyes turned on the large Jaffa, who unabashedly held his ground.

"Uh, I think what Teal'c is trying to say is that we thought you'd want as much time as possible together before we have to leave again, so maybe we should get the ball rolling...," Daniel babbled, desperately trying to cover the sudden awkwardness.

"Daniel, I think you're losing your touch," Jack shot, a smirk suddenly tugging at the corner of his lips. "Teal'c's delivery was much more succinct, wouldn't you agree?" Sam slugged him in the arm, quickly wiping the smirk from his face as he rubbed what Daniel was sure would be a sizeable bruise.

Sam turned her attention to Daniel, frowning. "Even if we applied for our license this week, we'd never find someone to marry us on such short notice," she said. Daniel shot Jack an accusatory look.

"You didn't explain?" Jack shrugged.

"Explain what?," Sam asked, growing suspicious.

"Uh, licenses leave a paper trail," Daniel pointed out. "So we were thinking we'd borrow a simpler tradition for the occasion."

"Daniel...," Sam warned.

"He wants us to use the ancient Egyptian ceremony," Jack simplified.

"You've bartered cattle for my hand?," she asked sarcastically. Jack smirked. Daniel frowned at them both.

"The ancient Egyptians were a socially advanced people," he explained. "Women had rights, and from what we know of it, their conception of marriage wasn't entirely different from our own. And while it is believed a bride-price was originally paid to the father of the bride, it later became tradition for this sum to be paid directly to the intended wife. Much like an engagement ring," he explained.

"So, no cattle," clarified Jack.

"The ceremony itself is remarkably simple, so we can go through with it at any point, once you're ready."

"No animal sacrifices, I hope?," she asked.

Daniel shook his head, grinning. "You each make a short statement declaring yourselves husband and wife, and it's pretty well done. Traditionally, moving the bride's possessions into her new home would be part of the ceremony, but we technically already did that yesterday..."

"Daniel...?," she asked, waiting for more of an explanation. She really wasn't looking forward to going home to a ransacked house...

"What? Oh, uh, sorry. Um, we weren't sure if you'd be willing to leave any of what you brought up here behind when we head back, and it's an integral part of the ceremony, so Teal'c and I arranged a bit of a dowry..." He glanced away, embarrassed, then quickly added, "Oh, but don't worry! It's not really how you would think of a dowry... It's more like a gift, really. That stays here. To mark this as your home," he finished awkwardly.

Sam scowled at Jack, who shrugged. "Hey, don't look at me. I had nothing to do with that part," he said, hands raised in defense. "And they've assured me that none of it is mine." He paused. "As in, they are not bribing me to take you off their hands," he tried to explain. "For what it's worth, I'm doing this of my own free will. I swear," he fumbled, watching the growing skepticism in her eyes.

"We had to make this your home, Sam," Daniel said apologetically. "It's the only way this will count."

"Although O'Neill has yet to make a formal request for your hand," warned Teal'c, "and we will be unable to proceed until then."

"Romantic, eh?," Jack asked sarcastically. Sam looked at him in complete bewilderment. He winced.

"Sam, if you've changed your mind..." he said, gently resting a hand on her arm, "I'll understand."

"No," she said, shaking her head. "It's just...a lot. All at once."

"It doesn't have to be today," supplied Daniel helpfully.

Sam shook her head. "I did say I was tired of waiting, didn't I?," she said with a rueful smile.

"You did," agreed Jack, grinning as well.

"Okay then," she said. Jack's grin widened.

"In that case," he said, slowly sinking down to one knee. "Samantha Carter, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

Even though she had known it was coming, and even though she had had two such proposals prior to this one, Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter suddenly found herself unable to speak, moved by the simple elegance of the question, by the ruggedly honest beauty of the man before her, and by the fact that she knew, _knew_, that this was the right choice, the _only_ choice, to keep them both happy for a long time to come.

"Yes," she whispered at last, nodding for emphasis. Jack stood again, grinning from ear to ear and looking twenty years younger than he actually was. Pulling her closer, they kissed again, oblivious to their two witnesses, one of whom was grinning rather foolishly despite himself.


	7. Chapter 7 - Wednesday Afternoon

A/N: A little note on Egyptian marriages - as far as scholars can tell, the ceremony itself was very simple, basically an open acknowledgement by both parties that they would be husband and wife from that point forward. I've placed extra emphasis on the importance of the marriage home, because in Sam and Jack's case, that'll be what holds them together when they get back to the SGC. Although there has been some speculation on a wedding procession of sorts, moving the wife's belongings to her husband's home, I don't believe there has been any conclusive evidence to support this. Also, the ceremony itself is believed to have evolved considerably over the course of ancient Egypt's five thousand year history, so what I've represented here is most accurate for middle/new kingdom Egypt. (Women in Ancient Egypt by Gay Robins is a fantastic source for information on daily life in ancient Egypt, including what we know of weddings and marriage, if you're at all interested)

Thank you again for all the amazing reviews and comments, I really appreciate all the feedback! (It helps me write better stories for you guys to read!).

Without further ado...

* * *

Teal'c and Daniel retreated back to the cabin shortly after the kissing resumed, setting to work on the necessary preparations for the rest of the day's events. Although Daniel hadn't exaggerated when he'd told Sam that the whole ceremony would be very simple, he still wanted to make sure the day was perfect for her.

With Teal'c's help, Daniel began reorganizing Jack's cabin to accommodate all of Sam's new things. They mounted three small shelves to the wall above the couch, carefully arranging the few books Sam had brought with her along with a few of their own purchases. Fresh throw cushions and a soft knit blanket were added to the couch itself, then on to the kitchen they moved, stocking the shelves with Sam's favourite tea, a new kettle and teapot, and a handful of snack foods they knew Jack wouldn't recognize as anything edible. On the table they placed a simple cotton tablecloth in red, orange and yellow, a thin crystal vase at the centre with a bouquet of silk roses in the same hues as the cloth below.

They had just moved on to the master bedroom when Jack came in.

"How's it going?," he asked casually, casting a suspicious glance around his room.

"We are nearly done, O'Neill," Teal'c replied, removing a stack of Jack's spare clothing from one of the dresser drawers to make room for Sam's things.

"Hey, what are you doing with all that?," he demanded, moving to intercept.

"There is insufficient space in this unit, O'Neill. Colonel Carter will require multiple drawers for her belongings."

Jack's eyes widened in disbelief. "Ohfercryin'out loud!," he grumbled. "How much stuff did you guys buy, anyway?"

Teal'c and Daniel exchanged glances. "It's not just what we bought, Jack," Daniel defended. "You don't seriously expect your _wife_ to live out of a suitcase every time she comes home, do you?" Jack scowled at them.

"Make sure there's some room left over for me too, eh?," he growled.

"Shouldn't you be outside wooing Sam?," Daniel asked pointedly, opening the rest of the drawers to re-arrange their contents.

Jack shifted uncomfortably. "O'Neill, have you and Colonel Carter decided against this union?," Teal'c asked in concern.

"Nope, nothing like that, T. She said it was bad luck to see the bride on her wedding day." Jack shrugged. Daniel smirked.

"I do not understand, O'Neill. You have already seen Colonel Carter today."

Daniel snorted. "It's more likely she wanted him to save his energy for after the ceremony," he explained, still smirking.

"I see," said Teal'c. Jack rolled his eyes.

"Give me a break! There's still plenty of energy to go around," declared the older man, somehow managing to look wounded while glaring daggers at his friends. "Besides, this whole marriage thing is a lot to take in. She probably just needs a little time alone. To adjust."

"What about you? How are you holding up?," Daniel asked, refolding a stack of clothing to see if it would fit better that way.

"Me? I'm fine. Great, even."

Teal'c raised an eyebrow. "On the day of my union to Dray'auc, I was extremely ill at ease," he stated. Daniel shot him a curious look.

"Yes, well, this isn't exactly my _first_ marriage," retorted Jack. "What's there to be nervous about?"

Teal'c and Daniel exchanged glances. "Have a seat, Jack," Daniel said, motioning towards the bed. Jack frowned, but did as told.

"Really, guys. I'm fine," he repeated.

"Uh-huh," Daniel said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "And I'm the Dali Lama."

"You could be, with that whole multiple-ascension thing you've got going on," Jack retorted. Daniel ignored the comment.

"It's a big step, Jack," he reminded.

"I _know_, Daniel! Like I've said before, this isn't my first marriage!"

"But it's Sam's first. And it's your first with Sam."

"What's your point?"

"A wise Jaffa once said that to enter one's marriage calmly was enter as a fool."

"Thank you, Teal'c. And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Are you sure you've thought this through?," asked Daniel. "I mean, marriage is big. You should be struck with some sense of the enormity..."

"Daniel," Jack interrupted. "It's _Sam_. I've spent nearly every waking moment either _with_ her or _thinking _about her for the past _eight years_. The idea of_ more _doesn't scare me."

Daniel and Teal'c exchanged amused glances. "What?," demanded Jack.

"Oh, nothing," breezed Daniel, shoving another pile of clothing into an already packed drawer. "Just wondering when it's really going to hit you, that's all." Teal'c did his best to hide his own amusement. Jack glowered at them both, getting to his feet.

"Nothing's going to hit me, Daniel. I've never been more sure of anything in my _life_." Daniel beamed.

"Glad to hear it, Jack. Why don't you go clean yourself up? We'll take care of the rest."

"Fine," snapped Jack. "But nothing leaves this room, understood?," he ordered, eyeing the pile of his favourite fishing clothes stacked homelessly on top of the dresser.

"Whatever you say, Jack," replied Daniel, frowning at another pile on the floor. "We'll manage something."

* * *

Jack shaved carefully, making sure he didn't miss a spot, then hopped into the shower for a long, hot soak. He still didn't understand why Daniel and Teal'c had looked so smug as he'd left the room. They usually reserved that sort of behaviour for when he'd done something truly bone-headed, and as far as he could tell, he hadn't. What could possibly be wrong with marrying Sam?

She was young, beautiful, smart, sexy, funny as hell, and appreciated his own warped sense of humour. If anything, she was too good for him. Too young, too beautiful, way, way too smart... Jack lathered more soap absently, rewashing his arms and chest without fully realizing what he was doing.

What could she possibly see in him, anyway? He was old. Really, really old by her standards. And who in their right mind would think he was beautiful? He was an Air Force General, for crying out loud! USAF Generals had never struck him as being overly attractive. Hardened, yes. Bitter, occasionally. Incapable of seeing anything more than two feet beyond their own objectives... always. These were the same men he'd spent his entire career poking fun at. The bone-headed nincompoops who came up with the half-cocked missions that got good people killed.

Not that they were all bad, he eventually conceded with some relief, absently washing his hair for the third time. Hammond had been one hell of a CO. But was he as good as Hammond? Somehow, he didn't think so. He was still so out of his element with this new job...

Somebody knocked on the door. Jack dropped the soap with a clatter, fumbling to retrieve it.

"O'Neill," called Teal'c from the other side of the door. "Do you require assistance?"

"What?!," Jack exclaimed, dropping the soap again. Cursing, he fished it back out of the water pooling over his feet. Crap. Had he washed his feet?

"O'Neill. It is nearly time."

"Yeah, I'll be out in a minute!," Jack called distractedly, quickly washing his legs and feet for the second time.

Grumbling, he emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later clad in only a towel, his hair sticking up at odd angles. Teal'c greeted him with a shadow of amusement, ushering him back to his room to change.

"I've got it, Teal'c," Jack snapped, spotting his new suit on the bed.

"Indeed?," Teal'c asked, a smile quirking at his lips. "Then I shall not inform you of the shampoo currently still in your hair, nor of the wounds which will most certainly stain your new clothing."

"What!?," exclaimed Jack, running back to the mirror in the bathroom. Crap. He was a mess. Groaning, he dropped his towel, stepping back into the shower for round two. Teal'c hovered just outside the still-open bathroom door, eyes carefully averted, saying, "I believe you are now prepared for your marriage, O'Neill."

"That makes one of us," Jack growled. "What could she possibly see in me, anyway?"

Teal'c smiled one of his rare Jaffa smiles. "I believe she sees a strong leader, O'Neill, and a man of great worth."

"In _me_?," he asked incredulously.

"Indeed," replied Teal'c, unable to keep the smile from reaching his voice.

Deciding the Jaffa probably wouldn't lie to him just to spare his feelings, Jack was somehow able to relax enough to rinse the rest of the soap from his body, quickly toweling dry before heading back to the room to find his clothes.

His hands were so unsteady on the tiny buttons of his good shirt, he had to get Teal'c to help, and even fully dressed, he felt as jumpy as a new recruit, first time on the shooting range.

"I think I'm going to be sick," he confessed as Teal'c led him outside a while later.

"You will be fine, O'Neill," reassured his largest friend. "Of that, I am certain."

* * *

"Hey, Sam," said Daniel, casually strolling down the length of the dock towards his lounging friend.

"Is everything ready?," she asked, straightening in her seat and closing her book.

Daniel smiled. "Just about. I was wondering if I could talk to you for a minute."

"Yeah, of course," she said, motioning to the vacant seat next to hers.

"Let's walk," he said, nodding towards the main road. She shot him a curious look, but he ignored it, falling into step beside her as they headed away from the cabin.

"What's this about, Daniel?," she asked at last, curiosity getting the better of her. "I already know about the birds and the bees, if that's what you're worried about," she joked. He grinned.

"I know this is all kind of sudden," he said, "but I want you to know that we really did put a lot of thought into it," he added.

"I know," she replied softly, nudging his shoulder affectionately with her own.

"We've been careful not to leave any kind of paper trail," he continued seriously. "Everything was paid in cash, and we even put in a brief appearance at a casino to explain our withdrawals if anyone ever asks."

"Daniel, I'm sure you've been as careful as you could be. I'm not worried about getting caught," she said, gently placing a hand on his arm.

"Yes, well, if anyone ever _does_ catch on...we came up with a plan for that, too." She raised an inquisitive eyebrow, but didn't say a word, so he continued. "If anyone ever starts snooping around, asking about our soon-to-be regular visits up here... We're saying the more feminine items are relics from Jack's first marriage, and we'll all be leaving a few odds and ends behind to cover for anything identifiably yours."

"Sounds reasonable," Sam said, nodding. "Though you do understand, if we_ are _ever caught, you and Teal'c will be charged with conspiracy just as quickly as we'll be charged for breaking the frat regs..."

Daniel shrugged. "Teal'c was given diplomatic immunity for his role in forging alliances with between Earth and the free Jaffa, and I have diplomatic immunity in Russia, if it ever comes down to that... Though I really hope it doesn't."

"Me too," she said, looking down at the ground.

"There's something else, Sam," he said quietly, glancing away. She looked over at him, but he refused to meet her gaze.

"If any more _personal_ additions are made," he said vaguely, "I'm your cover." Sam frowned.

"Daniel...?" Daniel blushed a faint shade of pink, still refusing to meet her eyes.

"Ah, what I mean to say is... If you and Jack find yourselves in a family way, before the whole work situation has been resolved...I'm your cover."

"And you're okay with that?," Sam asked, surprised. Daniel chuckled nervously.

"Probably more so than either one of you will be if it comes down to that," he replied, glancing quickly at Sam's face. She gave him a curious look, and he shrugged. "I've never really minded the idea of being a dad, even if it was only in name."

Sam sighed, sensing the truth in his words. "Remind me to find you a new wife when we get back," she answered gently.

"Yes, in all that spare time of yours," he teased.

Sam grinned. "If it means we all get a little piece of happiness, I'll find the time," she vowed. Daniel laughed.

"Don't worry about it, Sam," he answered candidly. "I'm not sure I'm even ready yet."

Sam snaked an arm around his waist, leaning in to him for a hug as they walked. "Then I'll wait. But you deserve a family too, Daniel."

"I already have one," he said, smiling fondly at the top of her head as he returned the embrace with a firm squeeze of his own. "Now, lets get you married!," he teased a moment later, maneuvering a quick turn that nearly toppled them both.

* * *

Sam stared at the dress in amazement. It was stunning, a simple daylily-orange halter sheath dress, floor-length and backless, with delicate pleats all around the gossamer-thin skirt. Extra pleats had been added at the back, joining the flared hem to form something reminiscent of a train. The long ties of the halter draped elegantly behind, adding their own pleated grace to the flow of material trailing down to the ground.

"It's perfect," she breathed, fingering the smooth, silky fabric.

"I thought you might like it," replied Daniel with a grin. He'd already changed into a dressier button-down shirt and pale cargo pants, before escorting her, blindfolded, through the house to get changed in the spare room. Teal'c and Jack were nowhere to be seen. "It's not white, but I figured since we weren't really going traditional anyway..."

"No, Daniel, it's perfect," she repeated, obviously meaning it. "Now get out so I can get dressed," she added excitedly, pushing him from the room.

Eyes dutifully closed as she emerged from the room, Sam missed seeing her friend's appreciative look of awe as he caught sight of her in her wedding gown. Gently guiding her hand up to his arm, Daniel slowly led her outside, telling her to open her eyes once they had cleared the entryway.

Jack and Teal'c stood side by side before a backdrop of sun-kissed trees, grass and ferns, talking quietly. They both glanced up as they heard the door close, Jack staring noticeably as he caught sight of his bride. Sam's face lit up in a radiant smile, her large blue eyes sparkling with unrepressed joy as she made her way towards her groom. Jack was, she noticed absently, dressed in a crisp new suit of smoky grey, his pale orange shirt a perfect compliment to the colour of her dress. His warm brown eyes slowly took her in, finally finding their way to her face. He swallowed hard.

"Sam...," he breathed appreciatively, and she laughed. Daniel cleared his throat.

"Oh, right!," Jack exclaimed, turning to Teal'c. The massive warrior, clad in black pants and a silver and black stripped shirt, carefully removed a long jewelry box from his back pocket, handing it to Jack.

"This is for you," he said, gingerly opening the case to reveal a small diamond encrusted eternity pendant. Sam gasped.

"I managed to find one with thirty-nine stones, just like the Stargate," he explained, nervously removing it from the box to fasten it around her neck. Sam giggled.

"It's beautiful," she said, touching the pendant at her throat.

"Do you remember your vows?," Daniel interrupted as he watched the two of them, Jack instinctively reaching for both of Sam's hands. They nodded. "Okay, then," he said with a smile, taking his place beside Sam.

Jack took a deep breath, holding it as he held Sam's gaze, one moment drawing into another before he said, slowly, purposefully, "Samantha Carter, I am your husband, and you are my wife." Sam beamed, flushing slightly under his gaze, and the mesmerizing power of those few simple words.

"Jonathan O'Neill," she declared, "I am your wife, and you are my husband."

Jack's answering grin sent fireworks through Sam's being, and she laughed brightly as he scooped her up into his arms, his chocolate gaze searing into her as he said, "In that case, _Mrs. O'Neill_, welcome home." And he carried her up to the cabin, carefully pushing his way inside with her cradled to his chest, kissing her senseless as they crossed the threshold into their new life together.

* * *

"I think we're going to want to get out of here for a while," Daniel noted as they watched their friends make their way to the cabin.

"Indeed," said Teal'c with the shadow of a knowing grin.

"Dinner out?," Daniel asked, turning to his sole remaining friend.

"Perhaps a movie would be in order as well, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c added sagely.

Daniel nodded slowly. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea, Teal'c."

"In that case, I will drive," replied the large Jaffa, already half-way to the vehicle before Daniel could catch up.

"I wasn't going to fight you on it," Daniel muttered, circling around to the passenger door.

* * *

"What are you thinking about?," Jack asked casually, tracing lazy circles along her shoulder and arm with one finger.

"Nothing," Sam answered vaguely.

"No, nothing is what you _should_ be thinking on your _honeymoon_," Jack said with emphasis. "But that isn't your 'not thinking' face. What's on your mind?"

Sam sighed. The problem with suddenly finding herself married to someone who knew her as well as Jack O'Neill meant that she would never be able to hide anything from him...

"Just something Daniel mentioned earlier," she confessed, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"Hmm. Someone else who thinks too much," Jack mused. Sam giggled. "So, are you going to tell me what it is?," Jack pressed lightly, curiosity evident in his voice.

"Part of one of your contingency plans. In case anyone ever catches on to us...," she said.

"Something you don't agree with?," he asked. She shook her head.

"It's not that, really," she replied. "It's just...it has to do with kids," she confessed at last.

"Ah," he said simply. "That one."

"Yeah, that one," she replied.

"So, which part in particular has you in breach of the standard honeymoon code of conduct?," he asked. Sam snorted, trying to hold back a laugh.

"Well, I guess I was wondering if that's something you'd even want, at some point...," she trailed. He grew thoughtful for a moment, his finger still spiraling across her bare skin.

Finally he sighed. "In general, I'd have to say no," he confessed. "Not because I wouldn't want to have children with you, but because I'm just getting too damn old to go through all that again." Sam nodded.

"I chose my career over family a long time ago," she confessed, absently playing with the silvery hair on his chest. "Didn't want anything to stand between me and NASA," she continued.

"Any regrets?"

"Not really, no. This is the life I wanted."

"Still, you're wondering..."

"I'm only four years away from being forty," she admitted quietly. "If we were going to try, I'd rather do it before then."

Jack moved his hand to touch her face, trying to ease the worry growing there. "You know whatever happens," he said at last, "I won't be disappointed." She smiled, reaching up to kiss him.

"That's good to know," she replied, kissing him softly before snuggling in closer to lay her head on his chest.

"Sam?," he asked gently a few minutes later, no longer certain she was still awake.

"Hmm?," she responded contentedly.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you too, Jack," she murmured, holding him tight.

* * *

"Do you think we should go in?," Daniel asked, his hand resting tentatively on the knob.

"It has been several hours, Daniel Jackson," responded Teal'c.

"Still...They did wait eight years..."

"Daniel Jackson. There is no discernable sound coming from the interior of the cabin. I believe we are safe," replied Teal'c. Daniel narrowed his eyes in suspicion. If he didn't know any better, he'd say the Jaffa was actually mocking him.

Daniel turned the knob slowly, gingerly peeking around the door to get a look inside. All the lights were off, and, as Teal'c had already observed, the place was silent as a tomb. Daniel opened the door the rest of the way, stepping inside with Teal'c close on his heels. Teal'c flipped on the light, momentarily blinding them both. The place was exactly as they'd left it. Daniel was secretly impressed. He hadn't thought Jack would make it much past the door before succumbing to the charms of married life.

"I believe I will retire to the sofa, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said, heading in that direction.

"Yeah, all right. See you in the morning," Daniel replied absently, making his way toward the spare room. It was a little odd, knowing their other two friends were now sharing a room, but at the same time...it was right.


	8. Chapter 8 - Thursday

A/N: Last two chapters today, and feeling a little sad that this is done. Thank you again to everyone who has read this, and to all the people who have filled my inbox with kind reviews these past two weeks! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

* * *

Jack entered the small room whistling. "Rise and Shine, Danny-Boy!," he called cheerfully, placing a plateful of hot pancakes on his friend's chest. Daniel groaned. Jack flopped down on the bed beside him, leaning against the headboard with his long legs stretched out before him, crossed at the ankle. He casually rested his hands behind his head for support, grinning down at the bleary-eyed archaeologist.

"Shouldn't you be off tormenting Sam?," he grumbled.

"Sam and Teal'c have already eaten," Jack replied, motioning towards Daniel's plate. Daniel lifted the top pancake questioningly.

"Jack," he said. "My food is leering at me."

"Put your glasses on, Daniel! That's a smiley face!," retorted the older man.

"Did you make these for everyone, or am I just special?," Daniel asked dryly, still examining the crude approximation of a smile.

"Smiley faces for all the men, hearts for Sam," Jack replied with a grin. "Eat up! You don't want them getting cold. The chocolate chips taste better melted."

"You are certifiable, you know that?"

"Ah, yes, but that's why you love me!," Jack replied cheekily, patting Daniel's leg. Daniel sighed.

"Remind me never to accept a bet for breakfast in bed from you again, okay?" Jack's grin widened.

"Now, where would be the fun in that?," he retorted, scooting closer to Daniel on the bed.

"Sam!," he yelled. "Come get your husband off me!"

"What's he doing?," she called back, from somewhere deep within the cabin.

"Snuggling," gripped Daniel.

"Without me?," Sam asked, taking a wounded tone. She peeked around the doorway, grinning at the sight before her. "At least he brought you breakfast," she reasoned, coming into the room and plopping down on Daniel's other side.

"You too?," he asked, taking in her proximity with a frown.

"Only so I can do this," she replied with a twinkling grin, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and shoulders in a great big hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," she added.

Daniel blushed. "Oh come on, Daniel! She's not thanking you for _that_!," Jack shot. "We're both just...grateful, that's all," he finished.

"Are you, now?," replied Daniel. "And you chose to show that gratitude by waking me up and invading my personal space?"

Jack and Sam shared a quick glance, nearly imperceptible to the untrained eye, before simultaneously yelling out "Teal'c!".

"Oh no," muttered Daniel, watching in fascinated horror as the last of his friends joined them, silently taking a seat at the foot of the bed, firmly boxing him in. "You guys planned this, didn't you?"

"Eat your pancakes, Daniel," Jack ordered. "We have a big day ahead of us."

* * *

Daniel couldn't believe the change in his friends. Eight years of strain, worry and selfless repression had been stripped away overnight. They had all grown so accustomed to the constant tension, the awkward silences, the longing glances, that none of them ever thought twice about any of it anymore. At least, not until seeing Jack and Sam together now. Neither one of them had stopped smiling since barging in on him that morning, and every time Daniel glanced over, they were touching. Not the mauling, half-mad with passion touching he would have expected, but definitely touching nonetheless. A simple brush here and there, a gentle hand on the arm, a thousand discrete attempts to be just that little bit closer. They were happy. As perfectly in-control as ever, but completely at ease. For the first time in eight years, Daniel had the opportunity to see his friends as they really were: fun, affectionate, and relaxed.

The group spent the day together, at Jack and Sam's insistence. They hiked Jack's trail together, getting what Daniel assumed to be the abbreviated version of the tour Jack had given Sam two days earlier. They swam together, ate together, fished together, sat quietly on the deck together. It was the most team bonding they'd done in a long time, which would have been wonderful if Daniel hadn't begun to worry part-way through the day. Why weren't Sam and Jack trying to sneak off to spend some time alone together? They'd have so little of it as it was, he couldn't fathom why they'd be so gung-ho to have him and Teal'c around all the time.

Sometime late in the afternoon, as Sam and Teal'c curled up with their respective books on one end of the deck, racing through their now-shared series, Daniel found himself in relative privacy on the other side with Jack.

"Go Fish?," the older man suggested, pulling a deck of cards from one of his many pockets and placing it on the small table between them.

"Sure, why not," replied Daniel, accepting his cards. They played in relative silence for a few minutes, only speaking to make a request for new cards. Warring with himself over what to say, Daniel finally settled and asked, "Okay, Jack. What's going on here?"

Jack frowned at him, evidently confused. "We're playing 'Go Fish', Daniel," he replied.

Daniel rolled his eyes. "That's not what I meant, Jack."

"Then what did you mean?," he asked, fishing another card off the deck and setting a matched pair aside.

"Oh, come on, Jack! Not that I haven't enjoyed all this," Daniel replied, motioning around at the intimate cluster of friends, "but shouldn't you be on your honeymoon?"

Jack's lips quirked up at the corners. "I am on my honeymoon, Daniel."

"Coulda fooled me."

Jack's grin widened almost imperceptibly. "Then I guess we did, Danny-boy," he replied evenly.

Daniel stared at him in disbelief. Since waking up this morning, there hadn't been a single moment when those two had been alone together. Not one. Apart from obviously being _together_ now, what could Jack possibly mean?

"Uh, don't get me wrong," Daniel tried at last, "but last time I checked, honeymoons weren't open to the public."

Jack peeked surreptitiously around the deck. "I don't see a whole lot of _public_ out here, do you?," he mock-whispered.

Daniel rolled his eyes again. "Give it a rest, Jack. You two have been hiding behind this group thing all day. What's going on?"

Jack smirked. "You wouldn't understand," he said, with a gentle shake of his head.

"Try me," Daniel grated.

"This is what we want," Jack replied with a shrug. Daniel blinked in response.

"Is that it?," he asked in disbelief. "All the explanation you're going to give?"

"You need more?," Jack replied, cocking an eyebrow.

"I don't know. You're both happier than I've ever seen you, but...," he trailed, gesturing vaguely.

"But what, Daniel?," Jack asked, clearly growing annoyed with the line of questioning.

"Are you still having trouble overcoming the rank thing?," Daniel asked in a rush.

Both of Jack's eyebrows shot up. "No, Daniel," he answered firmly. "The 'rank thing', as you have so delicately put it, has _enthusiastically_ been put aside for the duration of our time here."

Daniel shuddered lightly, trying to block any visuals before they could take hold in his mind. Sam_ was_ like asister to him, after all. Bracing himself against any further innuendo, Daniel asked, "So, everything's okay then?"

"Yep," replied Jack.

"And you swear you're not using us as some sort of buffer for marital issues?"

"Daniel, fercryin'outloud, there are no marital issues here!," Jack hissed.

"Just checking," Daniel replied carefully, still not fully convinced. Jack eyed him warily a moment. Daniel sighed, dropping the subject to ask for another card instead. They resumed their game in relative silence, Daniel still pondering Jack's words. Maybe he _was_ telling the truth, after all. It just seemed...odd.

* * *

Teal'c put down his book, the third in the series, peeking over to see how Colonel Carter was coming along with the final novel. She was nearly done as well. Good. He was looking forward to finishing the series before they went home in a few days. Although, if he were completely honest with himself, something troubled him about the books.

Stoically waiting for Sam to finish her last few pages, he pounced as soon as she lowered the novel to her lap.

"Colonel Carter," he began, shifting her attention away from the completed tale and over to himself, "Is the behaviour in these novels common to the Tauri?"

Sam's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "I guess that depends on which behaviour you mean," she replied at last.

"The characters appear to place a great deal of significance on the physical aspect of their relationship. Yet that is not what I have observed in your dealings with General O'Neill."

Sam flushed. "Well, Teal'c, every relationship is different," she began. "Some people do consider the physical side of a relationship to be the most important. Others are more interested in the companionship aspect."

"Are you and O'Neill in this latter category?," he asked. Sam flushed a deeper shade of red.

"I'd say we're pretty even between the two," she replied awkwardly.

Teal'c considered that for a moment. "If that is the case," he said at last, "why is it that you have chosen to involve myself and Daniel Jackson in your shim'owa? Should you not be enjoying each others' company, without our interference?"

Sam laughed. "You're our family," she replied with a shrug. "We want to spend time with you, too."

"On Chulak, it is customary for a husband and wife to leave their family behind during the shim'owa."

"Well, on Earth, sometimes we bring ours along."

"I see." He glanced down at the novel.

"Ready for book four?," she asked.

"Indeed," he replied, eagerly anticipating the final installment.

* * *

It wasn't until after dinner, when they were all seated around a bonfire making s'mores, that things began to grow noticeably uncomfortable between the four. Jack was the first to break the silence.

"Okay, kids, what is it?," he asked pointedly. Sam looked up at him, startled, while Teal'c and Daniel exchanged quick glances.

"Uh, well, it's just that...you know...you two _still_ haven't really spent any time alone today..."

"Ohfercryin'outloud, Daniel! If _that_ was all we'd really wanted all these years, I'm sure we would have bent the rules and been done with it a long time ago!" Sam leaned into his arm, grinning up at him.

"Oh really?," she asked sweetly.

"Wouldn't we?," he returned, suddenly subdued, peeking down at her. She shrugged. "I guess we'll never know," she answered coyly, resting her head on his shoulder and grinning over at their bemused friends.

"My point, exactly," Jack replied, glaring pointedly at Daniel, who was gaping at them both.

"So, you know you'll only have three days together for goodness-only-knows how long, and you're willing to spend it with us, as a group?," Daniel asked skeptically.

Jack shrugged. "Like I said before, this is what we _want_. We'd rather spend three days together in the open than hide from the two people we trust most in the world," he replied honestly. "We're going to have enough hiding to do when we get back."

"That is indeed an admirable sentiment, O'Neill," responded Teal'c sincerely. "However, would it not be prudent to seize what opportunity you have to further your relationship with Colonel Carter?"

"You've been reading too many of Sam's romance novels," he accused.

"I think this _is_ their way of furthering their relationship," replied Daniel, stunned. Sam smirked.

"Did you really think we'd get married and spend the rest of the week in bed?," Jack demanded.

"Uh, kind of, yeah," replied Daniel. Jack threw a marshmallow at his head. Daniel ducked, grinning. "Come on, Jack. You have to admit, you do have a bit of a reputation."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Kynthia," reminded Daniel.

"I was drugged."

"Laira," Sam supplied with a grin.

"I was stranded," Jack retorted defensively. "Besides, I've got nothing on you, Danny-boy!," he directed to the younger man.

"What?!"

"Sha're," Jack stated pointedly.

"She was my wife!"

"Melocia," he rattled off.

"Alien infection," Daniel defended.

"Hathor," supplied Teal'c.

"I was drugged!"

"Shyla," counted Sam.

"Again, alien influence."

"Osiris," Jack threw in.

"Okay, guys, seriously, I never slept with Osiris!"

"You had feelings," said Jack.

"For the host!"

"Same diff."

"Oh, really?"

"What of Leda Kane?," Teal'c asked.

"Again, nothing happened," Daniel defended.

"Ooh, how about that crazy hijacker chick?," Jack asked. "What was her name again?"

"Vala," supplied Daniel. "And she_ was_ crazy. Absolutely nothing happened with that one."

"I don't know Daniel. We all saw the surveillance footage. You two had some serious chemistry," teased Sam.

"It is possible we may encounter Vala again in the future," added Teal'c.

"And you have to admit, your track record does speak for itself," put in Jack. "If you two did ever meet again..."

"You guys are impossible!," Daniel exclaimed. "Most of those shouldn't even count!," he countered. "And what about Sam? If you're going to bring up all my near-encounters, she's had quite a few of her own!"

"Hey!," Sam replied indignantly.

"Oh, come on, Daniel! Sam's following was purely innocent," Jack argued. Sam buried her face in her hands, groaning..

"Can we please talk about something else?," she begged.

"I don't know, Jack. Martuf made quite an impression, as I recall," Daniel continued thoughtfully.

"Nah. He was only interested in her memories of Jolinar," retorted Jack. Sam punched him in the arm. "What?," he asked.

"And what about Narim?," Daniel asked.

Jack shrugged. "Doesn't count. She never returned his interest."

"Orlin?," Daniel tried.

"Nothing happened," Sam said. "With any of them," she added for good measure. "I have nothing on you three."

"We _three_?," asked Jack.

"Teal'c's had his share of distractions," she replied vaguely.

Daniel chuckled. "He has, hasn't he?"

"Shau'nac was my personal favourite," put in Jack.

Sam snorted. "Liked the whole Jaffa-revenge thing, did you?"

"It was memorable," he deadpanned.

"I don't know, Jack. Krista was pretty memorable too."

"Ishta is my favourite," replied Sam thoughtfully. All three men stared at her. "What?," she shrugged. "So I'm a bit of a closet romantic."

Teal'c smiled one of his rare smiles. "Ishta is indeed a worthy candidate, Colonel Carter. However, our interests at this time lie in separate quarters."

"Yeah, I wouldn't know anything about that," she responded sarcastically. Daniel chuckled, and Teal'c nodded his acknowledgement.

"Just make sure we're invited to the wedding," Jack shot. "We'll bring the cake."

* * *

The banter around the campfire lasted several more hours, and Daniel had to admit that, by the end of the evening, he could see his friends' point. It was impossible to say how long they'd have to keep their relationship a secret. It must be a relief for them to have this time together, acknowledged not only by themselves, but by their friends as well. And strange as it may seem to two widowed men, neither of whom would ever have considered involving anyone else in their respective honeymoons, for Jack and Sam, it seemed to work. They were undeniably happy, and for his part, Daniel vowed to resist the urge to meddle any further. They were together now, and really, that's all he needed to know.

* * *

"So why _did_ you pick me?," Jack asked later that night, curled snuggly against his wife's back. After their bonfire discussion, he couldn't help but wonder how she'd managed to single him out, considering all the 'intellectually superior' suitors she'd had over the years. Surely _one_ of them must have appealed more?

"What do you mean?," she mumbled, already half-asleep beside him.

"Out of all those other guys. You know. The more 'advanced' guys."

Sam smiled sleepily into her pillow. "You were more interesting," she replied with a tiny shrug.

Jack thought about that for a moment. "But I can't keep up with you," he said at last. "Doesn't that ever bother you?"

"Not really," she murmured, yawning. "It was more disconcerting not being able to keep up with the others. With Martuf, and Narim, and Orlin, I always felt very..._young_."

Jack snorted. "As opposed to how you must feel with me? I've got almost two decades on you, Sam."

She grinned, opening her eyes briefly and shifting ever so slightly to study the troubled planes of his handsome face. Turning more towards him, she softly kissed his neck before settling against his chest, saying, "You never make me feel any less than I am. And I like that."

"You don't think you'll ever get bored with me?"

It was Sam's turn to snort. "I haven't yet."

"We've only been married a day."

"But we've been seeing each other almost daily for eight years," she reminded.

"Does that actually count?"

"Why wouldn't it?"

"Because I was the ruggedly-handsome and completely off-limits CO, and now I'm just your boring old husband." Sam laughed softly into his chest.

"You'll never seem boring to me," she replied at last. "And you really don't seem that old, either," she added for good measure.

Jack kissed the top of her head, then, deciding that wasn't quite good enough, shifted to find her lips. Sam's response was warm and tender, and Jack murmured appreciatively against her skin.

"Do you think it's too late to find someplace with fewer prying ears and enjoy some of that 'alone time' Daniel was going on about earlier?," he breathed after a few minutes. Sam giggled.

"We should have a good view of the stars from the dock," she replied at last.

"I wasn't really thinking about stargazing," he murmured, planting warm, delicate kisses along her jaw and neck.

"Neither was I," she replied with a wink, rolling out of bed and stealing the comforter off Jack. "Coming?"

Jack grinned, hoping to his feet. Nothing like a little pre-dawn stargazing with a beautiful woman to make a man feel twenty years younger.


	9. Chapter 9 - Week's End

Someone was singing. Daniel peeked one eye open, ascertaining that yes, the sun was at least up this time, and rolled out of bed to follow the unexpected sound. He made it as far as the main room before Jack came in from outside, humming. He grinned when he saw Daniel.

"You're up early!," he chirped. Daniel narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"So are you," he replied cautiously.

The water shut off in the bathroom, and Daniel could hear the voice more clearly. He frowned. "Is that _Sam_?," he asked.

Jack's grin widened. "Why yes, Daniel, I believe it is!," he replied cheerfully, sauntering into the master bedroom with an armful of blankets. He returned a moment later, only to find that Daniel was still eyeing him suspiciously.

"What?," he asked.

"Jack," said Daniel slowly. "Did you and Sam sneak out last night to..." he waved his hands around, searching for a polite way to say what he meant. Jack smirked, turning into the kitchen. Daniel followed.

"Breakfast will be ready in a bit," Jack said, turning his attention to the stove, where he busily set to work making one of his famous beer omelets. While humming.

Sam emerged from the bathroom, still merrily singing a tune Daniel didn't recognize, and retreated into the master bedroom to get changed.

Teal'c, who'd been sitting at the kitchen table with a large bowl of fruit and the last of Sam's novels, glanced up. Daniel met his questioning gaze with a shrug. Sam breezed into the room, casually dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a pale blue shirt. She beamed at them.

"Sleep well?," Daniel asked archly.

"I did, thank you," she replied, sitting down to steal a bite of Teal'c's fruit.

"Married life appears to agree with you more each day, Colonel Carter," Teal'c noted with a slight grin. Daniel snorted.

"What do you mean?," Sam asked, stealing another bite of orange.

"The singing," Daniel replied. Sam blinked at him.

"What singing?," she asked. Daniel and Teal'c exchanged glances.

"You've been singing all morning," answered Daniel.

"As has O'Neill," added Teal'c.

Sam and Jack exchanged a quick glance, Sam flushing ever so slightly. "Have not," argued Jack with a note of defiance.

"Indeed you have, O'Neill," countered Teal'c.

"Yes, it was much more pleasant to wake up to your serenading this morning," replied Daniel with a grin. Sam's flush deepened.

"Don't know what you're talking about," grumbled Jack, flipping his omelet. Toast popped in the toaster, and Jack moved to rescue it, adding a few more slices as he did.

"Never mind," said Daniel with a smile.

Jack turned back to the stove, discretely hiding a pleased smirk. Singing, eh? It was nice to know he could still one-up a puppy like Pete Shanahan.

* * *

The closer they came to the end of the week, the faster time seemed to pass them by. Before she knew it, they had reached Saturday evening, the end of their last full day at the cabin. They'd all be packing up before they went to bed tonight, and leaving before dawn the next morning. Sam sat on the dock, her bare feet dangling into the cool water below, the setting sun glinting merrily off the water's surface.

"Hey Daniel," she greeted with a small smile, as the archaeologist plopped himself down cross-legged beside her.

"Everything okay?," he asked, studying her closely. She sighed.

"It's almost over."

Daniel nodded, sympathy etching his features. "There'll be more weeks like this," he reassured.

"Yeah," she said, with a nod of her own. "It went by fast though."

"Good things always do," he replied with a grin.

"Still," she said, "it's hard to believe that in less than forty-eight hours, everything will go back to the way it was before."

"Speaking of," said Daniel, "Shouldn't you be over there, with Jack?"

Sam shook her head. "I'm afraid if we stay this close right to the end, we'll never get back to normal at work on Monday."

"Sam..."

"Daniel."

"Don't pull away."

"I have to."

"No, you don't. Make every moment count, Sam."

"Daniel..."

"Sam. I thought I'd have a lifetime with Sha're. Instead, I had a single year. Don't waste the time you've been given."

Sam closed her eyes, hearing the regret in her friend's words, feeling his loss. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Don't be sorry, Sam. Just be happy."

Sam nodded, tears stinging at her eyes. She'd known all along it had to end, she just hadn't entirely expected it to be this good...

"Hitting on my wife?," Jack called, joining them on the dock. He sat down behind Sam, his own legs dangling into the water beside hers, wrapping his arms around her as he nuzzled her neck.

"Like she'd ever let me," Daniel retorted, noting with relief the way Sam melted into Jack's arms, leaning into him with a blissful grin. Daniel stood up.

"Dinner ready?," he asked.

"Mm-hmm," mumbled Jack, his face buried in Sam's neck.

Daniel grinned, sauntering off in search of food. He had a feeling he should coerce Teal'c into packing up early, then making themselves scarce for the evening. At the rate Jack was going, he wasn't sure either one of his other friends would be making it to dinner.

* * *

He was going to miss this. Moments like these. Sam's scent all around him. Her soft warmth pressed against him. And trips to the cabin would never be the same again if she wouldn't be able to join him. Jack sighed, wrapping himself more tightly around his wife, holding her as close as he could. The clock was running against them now. Every moment was starting to feel like a goodbye.

"I don't want this to end," he murmured, kissing her ear.

"Me neither," she confessed softly, leaning into the hard planes of his chest.

The sun dipped behind the trees, casting the dock into long, cool shadows. Still, they sat. Together.

"I'm thinking of retiring," he admitted softly.

"You said you weren't ready," she reminded.

"I know," he replied slowly. "But I am ready for _this_," he added, hoping she'd understand.

"I've been thinking of leaving the SGC," she confessed, holding her breath for his reaction. He felt her tense ever so slightly against him, and tried to kiss the tension away.

"Don't," he said, caressing her jaw.

"Area 51 has been looking for more scientists," she replied, much more sensibly than he would have liked considering the muddled state of his own mind.

"They can't have you," he growled, moving down along her neck.

"Jack," she sighed. "A transfer is the only way..."

"I would never, ever ask you to leave your job for me," he replied vehemently, the little trail he'd been kissing momentarily forgotten.

"Even if it would mean more days like this?," she asked quietly.

"At the expense of your happiness every other day? Not a chance," he said. She shifted so she could see him better.

"I don't think either one of us really wants to go back to the way things were," she said.

"Then let me retire," he begged.

"Let me transfer," she countered.

"God only knows where you'd end up," he retorted. "Let me retire."

Their eyes locked in a silent battle of wills. Jack felt as if his heart was being ripped from his chest. She wouldn't budge.

"Why are you so insistent?," she asked at last.

Jack sighed. "Because even if you did transfer, it might not fix things for long," he replied..

She studied him closely. "You know something I don't?"

"Hammond is bucking for retirement."

"And you're the next obvious choice," she finished. He nodded, his eyes never leaving her face. He could see her mind working a million miles a second, trying to find another way. A way around the incessant promotions that kept her firmly under his command, no matter how high she rose...

"Sam, let me retire," he repeated, more gently this time.

"You're not ready," she replied. "And I wouldn't ask you to give up your career any more than you'd ask me to give up mine."

"How long?," he asked suddenly.

"How long?," she repeated.

"How long before one of us finally gives in?"

"Jack..."

"Sam. We've danced around this issue for eight years. How much longer are we willing to wait?"

"Until you're ready to retire," she said at last. "Really ready," she amended. "Without regrets."

"Without regrets?"

Sam nodded. "I don't want anything between us after this," she replied. Jack smiled in spite of himself.

"All right," he agreed. "So if I hate Washington..."

It was Sam's turn to smile. "Then I'll be ready," she replied.

"Okay," he said, finding her lips. "I think I can live with that."

* * *

The drive back was a lot quieter than the drive to the cabin had been. Sam and Jack took over the backseat for the first half of the trip, silently working their way through a crossword book Jack had found, sitting as close together as their seatbelts would allow. Daniel and Teal'c took turns driving, unobtrusively conversing as their friends shared their last few hours of married life together in the back.

They were once again subjected to Jack's enthusiastic sandwich making skills for their meals for the day, retracing their original route with all its side-of-the-road stops along the way. By the time Jack and Sam moved up front to drive, Daniel was more than ready to just be home already, with real food and a nice, hot shower to work the stiffness from his joints. Taking his seat by the window, Daniel nodded off quickly, sleeping most of the rest of the way back to Colorado Springs.

Jack dropped Teal'c off at the base first, then brought Daniel home to his apartment, saving the best for last. The short drive between Daniel's place and Sam's, however, was hardly long enough to get his thoughts all in order.

"I guess this is it," Sam said as they pulled into her driveway.

"I guess," Jack replied. Sam didn't move. "Do you need any help with your bags?," he asked.

"No, I'll be fine," she said, still not budging from her seat.

"Sam..."

"Carter."

"Carter?"

Sam nodded. "You always call me Carter here, remember, _Sir_?," she replied, watching him closely.

Jack swallowed the tightness forming in his throat. "Right," he said, flinching. "Carter."

Sam sighed. "Sir..."

"I know. The only way this will ever work is if we can maintain our professionalism when we're not at the cabin," he recited, as if rehearsed.

"_Sir_," Sam tried again, more emphatically this time.

"Carter," Jack drawled, suddenly hating the sound of it. Nearly as much as he hated the way she called him 'Sir'...

"Nothing has changed," she said carefully.

"Everything's changed," he shot back.

Sam shook her head. "This is as much a part of us as anything we did back up at the cabin."

"It feels wrong now."

"Which part?," she asked gently.

"The part where you go back to hiding behind all your military discipline, and I go along with it because it's the right thing to do..."

Sam reached over to gently lay a reassuring hand on his arm, eyeing him carefully.

Jack longed to reach out and touch her, cradle her face in his hands, kiss her soft lips... longed to call his wife by name, to hold her, to show her everything he was feeling inside...

"Sir," she whispered, pleadingly. A shiver ran down his spine. She had used his rank in that tone before... Shutting his eyes, Jack remembered. Sam pleading for him to go, leaving her stranded on a Goa'uld mother-ship... Begging him to chose life with the Tok'ra over death...

"Carter," he whispered back, reaching for her only to drop his hand at the last possible moment. _Carter_. How many times had he used her surname, not as a shield between them, but as a bridge...

Jack reeled with the realization that she must have always done the same, too. And he'd never noticed. He'd been so busy resenting the necessary formalities, he'd never noticed the pattern of informality they'd fallen into. She only ever called him 'Sir'. Rarely Colonel, never General...just good old 'Sir'. And he'd been the same. Dropping her rank early on, he'd always known her simply as 'Carter'. He scrubbed his face with his hands.

"How long have you known?," he whispered. Her lips quirked up at the corners, fighting the urge to smile.

"Known what, Sir?," she asked slowly.

"That we've been secretly calling each other by name for years, without even realizing...," he tried to explain, not sure if he was making any sense. Sam laughed.

"Since the day you accused me of saying 'Jack' the way I've always said 'Sir,'" she replied, grinning fondly at him.

Jack gaped at her. "Why didn't you tell me?," he spluttered.

"I knew you'd figure it out eventually," she replied.

"So we can keep on just being ourselves, and no one will notice?," he asked.

"Yep," she agreed happily.

"Sweet."

Grinning, Sam moved to open her door.

"Wait," Jack said, stopping her. He fished around in his coat pocket, his hand closing around the small metal object he wanted. "This is for you," he added, holding it out for her to see.

"A key?," she asked, gingerly taking it from his palm.

"It's your home, too," he reminded. She fingered it gently, turning it over in her hand.

"Thank you," she said softly, cradling it tenderly in her palm. Jack watched her several heartbeats longer than he should.

"All right," he said at last, tearing his gaze from her. "Get to bed. I hear your CO's had one hell of a week. You'll need your rest to put up with him in the morning."

"Yes, Sir," she replied easily, sliding out of the SUV and grabbing her bags from the back. She shot him another smile on her way to the door, slowly letting herself in. Jack watched for a long time, even once she was safely inside. He sighed, starting the engine. Getting back to normal might not be all bad, but it sure as hell wasn't going to be anywhere near as pleasant as the last few days.

Grudgingly pulling away from her house, he drove the rental home, idly thinking of ways to spend just a little more time with Carter than he was really supposed to...

* * *

Fin.

Hope you enjoyed, and as always, reviews are welcome!


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